You've been running wild
by Scarfen
Summary: Naomi has just been finished her jail sentence and now has a clean slate and a fresh start and all Naomi wants is to get her life back on track, but what happens when ghosts come back to haunt her? Naomily and Naomi/Cook friendship
1. Chapter 1

'You've got five minutes Campbell!' Came a stern voice through the thick, metal door. Naomi sighed and returned her attention back to stripping the standard issue bedding off of the rusty metal frame that had been her bed for the last five and a half years.

'What your plans then?' Naomi head slightly turned to the source but issued no replay and continued to carefully fold the bedding and other garments she that had been assigned to her in the past five years. The other inmate signed as she watched the back of Naomi's head, her once peroxide locks now a natural mousey brown.

'Who's picking you up then?' Silence still. 'So you're walking out here, no where to stay, nothing to do and nobody to be with? Wow, I think I know where I'd rather be,' the inmate sighed sarcastically as Naomi still remained silent. 'Right then' The other woman breathed before lying back on her bed, being careful to not lay on the numerous springs that poked out the lumpy mattress. Naomi continued to gather her belongings, not that there was that many. She couldn't quite place it but compared to her many other 'room mates' she had over the years she didn't seem have much processions, maybe that was due to the lack of visitors she had compared to the rest. When she did a comparison with Charlotte's side, with its array of photographs and little scraps of mementos that where plastered everywhere to her plain, grey, concrete wall that had met her everyday for these past few years. She concluded that when she entered here back when she was a petrified eighteen year old, all those ties she had were immediately cut and she was left with nothing but herself to keep her steady, which in reality wasn't much of a foundation. But she adapted and now was ready to get out there, start fresh and never look back.

'Campbell!' The small slit open and through was passed a bundle of clothes. So colourful Naomi thought bearing in mind she had just spent the last so many years wearing the exact same grey track suit that colour was a bit of a novelty. She picked up the garments remembering when she first put them on all those years ago with trembling fingers and teary eyes, she almost laughed at how much she has changed. She threw Charlotte a glance, who on cue, rolled over to face the wall giving Naomi the tiny bit of privacy that was lost on a place like this. The clothes felt wrong but she didn't complain as she slipped into the trousers and tee shirt that clung to her body. She wasn't surprised that the teenage clothes weren't as fitting as they had once been, she was nearly twenty four for crying out loud! Not that she had put weight on; it was kind of hard when you were fed the gruel that she had been given these last few years. But if anything she was probably in better shape now than she was back then due to the amount of hours she killed in the exercise yard along with no drinking and no cigarettes. If there was anything she was to thank this place for it was her acquired lean, athletic figure.

Once she had changed she folded her grey uniform and set the clothings neatly next to the bedding, she decided to leave the recently reunited floral shirt with them as well. She's not that person anymore.

'Campbell, it's time,' The door opened once the grinding and creaking of locks had finished, she turned to Charlotte who simply smiled, she nodded back before picking up her near empty plastic bag that now contained her life before walking through the door to her long awaited freedom.

Once she had left the room she was escorted through the maze of narrow, stained white hallways and eventually was lead to an officer at a reception of sorts. She handed Naomi a selection of papers to fill in and sign her, face looked like a slapped arse probably because she had to come and work at a place like this, try living here love Naomi thought bitterly. Once she had filled in the correct documentation the woman handed over a large brown paper envelope, her named scrawled in black marker on it, the jangle of long lost belongings was evident as Naomi tucked it underneath her arm. Without a word the officer that had collected her from her cell lead her through another series of long, drab hallways and doors before eventually leading her out into the open, the June sun light dancing on her shoulders and already she could see, hear, smell, taste and feel the freedom, every sense going into over drive as the officer unlocked the iron security gate. Many other officers's watched the two like hawks targeting prey. The iron barred door opened with a groan and without another sound Naomi took a single step and was free.

Naomi used to imagine this moment, used to think of a number of scenarios each more ridiculous than the last as she used to sweat away in the gym. She used to wind herself up when she used to muster over what she was going to do when she got that first taste of freedom. What was she going to do? Laugh? Cry? Sing and dance till the small hours of the morning? But here she was doing nothing, not even a smile. How could she look back at that place and smile? Resentment was not one of the things that made it on the list of freedom emotions but now that was all she felt, it didn't matter whether she was looking at that soul sucking prison or the distance skyline of Bristol because either way they both held painful memories.

Naomi sighed before retracting the brown envelope from under her arm. She tore open the seal and peered inside, wishing she hadn't when five years worth of dust attacked her nostrils. She pulled out her purse opening the zip to her array of cards, a five pound note and her driving license. She pulled it out and smiled at her youthful self even though it was an awful picture and wouldn't look out of place on Crime Watch ( then again where she had just come from she figured she probably belonged on Crime Watch) she could still see her topaz eyes full of ambition, drive and life.

She hadn't aged that much she had to admit but she had missed out on opportunity, big time! All the people from her youth would now have finished university, have well paying jobs, possibly doing masters or PHD's, getting married, maybe having children and here she was with a criminal conviction for drug supply and involuntary manslaughter, with no job and no house.

'What a catch.' She murmured to herself. She shook her head before returning her license to the little window where it belonged. As she put it back she noticed a shiny piece of car sticking out of a card slit. She rescued it and felt the first full on grin appear on her face for almost six years. Her mother's hazel eyes staring back at her with her little two year old self sat in her lap wearing nothing but a jam stained tee shirt that read 'I recycle my tantrums' as they laid on the gleaming Cornwall seaside with massive, beaming smiles on their faces. She chuckled and was taken back at her own laugh, she hadn't heard it in such a long time that it sound pretty much alien. She flipped the photograph over and felt the tiny sting of tears nip at her eyes when she saw the familiar swirly writing of her mother. 'Happy 18th grumpy guts! Have a great day and smile! Here's a photo just encase you've forgotten. I love you xxx' Naomi couldn't help but trace the black ink with one long finger as she swallowed hard to prevent the tears over spilling. She must've gotten this only a couple of months before that night, before her, before everything. She gave the photograph one last look over before returning it and taking a deep breath. She dug her hand back inside the envelope and found a plastic orange lighter, a half empty packet of fags, a hand full of change and half a tube of extra strong mints. She emptied everything into the litter bin a head of her besides the change which she slipping inside her purse and was about to do the same with the envelope when she heard the light jingle of metal, she looked inside to see something reflecting the afternoon sun. She put her hand in and retracted the sparkling item. A thin gold chain necklace threaded through her pale fingers letting the gold plated capital 'E' rest on her rough palm. She wasn't sure how long she stared at her small, gold tinted reflection in the tiny E shaped mirror. She bit her lip as she clenched the jewellery in a clenched fist, not even stopping when she tasted the musty copper on her tongue and the sting of her palm being sliced into. She had to stop; she was free with a clean slate, a fresh start. She opened her hand, glaring at her blood tainting the sparkling surface before quickly throwing the item into the road side bin and walking the road toward the distant Bristol skyline, she was not that person anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

As she got closer and closer to Bristol she felt her stomach getting more unsettled. It was bad enough that she knew she was going to meet somebody but the prospect of seeing someone she might know after everything made her feel ridiculously nervous. Naomi pulled the scrap bit of paper out of her pocket, squinting slightly at the nearly eligible, erratic scribble that was suppose to resemble an address. She hoped that she'd got the right place or the money that was given to her for a taxi would be wasted on a trip to the completely opposite part of town. She remembered when she got her instructions those two and a half weeks ago and felt herself feel slightly less angry at the world she was thrown back into as she knew that she at least had someone, even if they weren't the most reliable of people.

Naomi knew it was him before she saw him because after all he was the only person that came to see her. His visits were never regular or planned, he just turned up and if there's one thing about James Cook he goes by no ones rules but his own.

'Alright Goldie Locks?' He always called her that even though she hadn't been blonde for the best part of four years.

'Alright Cook,' She replied once the officer had lead her to the table and sat her down and took off her handcuffs.

'Can't complain, the sun is shining, moneys coming in and…..oh yeah, you're coming home next week,' He grinned from ear to ear, his crooked teeth adding to charm that seemed to stay with him even now. Naomi remained still, she knew it was a good thing and couldn't wait to get out but some nights (most nights) she couldn't help but think and let her mind run wild at the preposterous ideas that drilled themselves into her head about the outside world and how it would react letting her back into it, images of angry mobs wanting to take her out because she killed a vulnerable girl all so she could make a couple of quid for herself (not quite for herself but Naomi never went there).

'Come on Naomi, turn that frown upside down and think of the mad times we'll have once you're out of this shi…' Cook quickly cut himself off when he noticed the officer giving him a disapproving glare. Naomi looked at the officer and felt herself tut slightly at how Cook acted around the eyes of the law since everything, as if they're going to turn round and suddenly arrest him too for what happened, she did it, plain and simple.

'Anyway, I need to give ya this,' He motioned the officer over who took the note, inspected it before passing it to Naomi.

'It's me address. I tried getting it off but Duncan's being a bit of an arsehole at the minute and I don't wanna upset the beastie boss, kinda need the money,' Naomi understood and folded the paper putting it in her pocket.

'Yeah and I've given them some money for your taxi fare as well, it'll be in with your possessions,'

'You didn't need too,' She mumbled, he raised his eyebrows in that patronizing fashion which made him look like a parent, she couldn't get her head around how much the roles had reversed between them.

'And how'd you expect to get there? Hovercraft?' He joked and started to chuckle but stopped when Naomi didn't join him, she never did.

'Well, I'll be at work when you get there but I've put a key in your possessions too, so you know, just make yourself at home,'

'Thanks,'

'Ah don't worry about it Blondie, it'll be laugh, be like some fucked up episode of Friends or summat,' She nodded with a forced smile and the visit went like any other. She just listened to what he had to say and asked him about his job, his flat… his girlfriend. She couldn't quite believe when he came one week and said that he'd met this girl Lucy, Naomi had bets with herself that the next time he'd come to see her she'd be just another notch on his bedpost but each time he'd still talk about her and slowly the days turned to months then to years. To Naomi it felt like Cook was reading her the bedtime story of his relationship as he told her about how they went on this date, they went on this holiday, they moved in together and at the end of each visit Naomi secretly wanted to hear more of their story because it was nice, it was how life was suppose to be sunny, upbeat and most importantly free. She was glad that he was finally happy; he had come along way since Effy and the others.

They never talked about them lot, she doubted that Cook even knew where they were now, the last thing she heard about them was on Cook's first ever visit when he had told her about Freddie's body being discovered, after that everything almost turned to dust. Naomi and Cook both knew that everything hung in the air still; when it went quiet you could tell it was on both their minds but as always it was under lock and key.

Cook used to ask how things were going with her in here but he learned soon that nothing new happens in prison and eventually it came to the point where Naomi would barely say two words, just sit and listening to Cook go on. Cook knew she'd changed, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure that one out but something about it he didn't like, he couldn't really talked to her anymore because talking to her was like talking to air, she never reacted just sat their, it was almost suffocating and Cook couldn't wait to get out of the place. He hated to admit it but it was true and he was pretty sure Naomi could see that too. He knew things would be fine once she was out, she'd get back to civilisation and it wouldn't be up to Cook to solely put the life in conversation, he hoped.

Naomi stopped and looked up to the cream coloured building squashed between an all night takeaway and a charity shop and shivered slightly as an odd breeze slipped past her, she pulled the thin grey cardigan that she found on the back seat of the taxi tighter around herself which was a reminder that she needed to get herself some new clothes as soon as possible. She took Cook's note out her pocket and matched the scrawl to the sign that was nailed above the royal blue doorway, she fetched out the key she was given and let herself in the building, blocking herself from the noisy polluting traffic that sped past outside. Darkness overcame her, the only source of light coming from atop the stair case that looked to he jammed in the narrow hallway. She took off her shoes, noticing that many pairs where set down on a small shoe rack; some others just lazily sprawled across the speckled, grey tiled floor.

'Three guesses who they belong to' Naomi thought to herself as she observed how Cook's complete lack of tidiness had remained, it made her smile. Once she made her way up the stair case she was met by the entrance to a medium sized, pale blue kitchen, various appliances and other items dotted about the place, it was nice, it felt homely reminding her of how her mother's kitchen used to be like. She wandered around looking out the window to see a small balcony area that looked to be only accessible out the kitchen window, two plastic sun beds set out there obviously Cook was taking advantage of the heat wave that had engulfed the country for the past two weeks.

As she was about to finish her nosing her attention was caught by a blackboard, pinned up next to a small notice board. 'The Cookie Monster loves you as much as his Cookies' Naomi read Cook's messy handwriting and underneath in a loopy, floaty style was another message. 'Love you Raccoon Boy xxxx '. She smiled, it reminded her when she used to leave message for someone, when they used to send each other references to some stupid, meaningless private jokes. Not anymore though, those days are long gone. Naomi shook her head, quickly looking for something else to attract her attention, she noticed on the note board was a calendar, today's day circled many times with bright red marker along with 'BLONDIE'S HOME!' in capital letters.

That was Cook for her, forever a friend, forever a fighter to put up with her for the past six years and she felt quite guilty at how she was dumped on his doorstep and he had no choice but to pick her because nobody else would. She remembered when she used to do that for him when he was younger but that was back then and this was now, things were different, people were growing up with jobs and partners, the prospect of having to put up with your criminal of a friend when you have so many other responsibilities would have herself running for the hills, but Cook wasn't her, wasn't a coward.

She wandered over to the four seater pine table in the middle an envelope with her name written on it. She opened it and chuckled at the first sentence.

_Blondie, WELCOME TO CASA COOK and Lucy (had to put that in their or I won't hear the end of it) _

_Make yourself at home what's mine is yours and all that, there's beers in the fridge so get gulping cause when I get back I want you giddy and waiting for a mental night. GET DRINKING GIRL! _

_The spare room is all set for you got some of your stuff out of storage, wasn't sure quite what you'd want so I just got you some clothes and stuff, we can always go back and get more. _

_Cya soon Blondie and GOOOOO MENTAL _

_Cookie _

_PS. REMEMBER, BEER IN FRIDGE, DRIIIIIINNNNNK! HAHA _

Just as she finished the last sentence she heard the front door open and then shut with an almighty bang, the rickety stairs groaning under the pressure of hurried footsteps. Naomi didn't quite know what to do; she quickly got up from the table making herself feel more out of place and stood looking like a spare part. She scanned the kitchen debating whether she should just hide and wait until they went but then she realise she had to face this some time and probably sooner rather than later she kept telling herself, summoning her body to stay where it was at rather than flee. She faced the kitchen doorway waiting for Cook's cheeky grin and spiky hair to come charging through, most likely with his arms open waiting to crush her in welcoming hug. She tried to put on a smile but no doubt it showed how uncomfortable she actually was, but it was the thought that counted she figured. However all her efforts where abolished when the person that came through the door was not the boisterous smile or muscular arms she was expecting but a petite brunette, barely making it up to her shoulder, her pin straight hair in a messy pony tail revealing emerald eyes that at this moment in time looked stunned even if force smile was doing its best in hiding it.

'Oh…..hello,' She eventually said after a short few moments, sizing her up making sure that the woman in front of her was in fact Naomi Campbell and not some burglar that decided to take refuge in her house.

'You must be Naomi, am I right?' Naomi nodded not quite sure what else to do, her voice failed on her as she realised that this was the first conversation that she'd had with anyone since she got out of prison that short couple of hours ago.

'I'm Lucy.' The woman looked slightly anxious in Naomi's silence and Naomi didn't blame her, she can't imagine that she'd be any different if she met her partner's criminal best friend who she was now forced to share her home with.

'Nice to meet you,' She smiled revealing a perfectly aligned set of pearly white teeth, sticking out her hand toward her. Naomi body seemed to freeze on her as she stared at the out stretch hand in front of her, begging her body to follow her brains orders and get over the fact that this was her first human contact in almost six years apart from when she had her hand cuffs taken on and off by various police officers. Lucy's confused gaze didn't go unnoticed by Naomi and was now pleading her hand to just shake the hand. Just as Lucy was about to recoil Naomi move forward and took the small hand in hers, the smooth skin making her senses go into over drive. She couldn't get over how amazing human contact was, how a simple hand shake made her feel so warm, she swore she must have been glowing by now. She almost felt the sting of joyous tears take to her eyes but quickly stopped herself when she realised she was in the company of a woman that she had known for a total of five minutes. After a bit Lucy looked down at their entwined hands hoping that Naomi would get the message that this handshake had lasted much longer than the average.

Naomi suddenly realised the cause of the sudden wary look on Lucy's face and drop the hand as if it just suddenly combusted in her grasped. Naomi coughed, partly to remove the massive lump that seemed to have formed in her throat but also to break the thick tension that clouded the room.

'Sorry,' Naomi mumbled. Lucy face smoothed into a friendly smile, Naomi hinted pity mixed in the expression which made her feel a strange anger but she didn't show it, just forced her lips to curve slightly to try and make herself look a little less like a miserable cow.

'James tells me that your going to go _mental_ tonight,' She said, emphasising the word mental which made Naomi's smile turn a tiny bit more genuine, as she thought about Cook and how he hyped such stupid things and also that Lucy seemed to refuse to call Cook by the nickname that he used to be adamant that everyone address him by. He must be well and truly whipped!

'Yeah would seem so, not that I think mental is the right, but that's Cook for you,' The small woman giggle slightly which made Naomi feel a bit more at ease and hoped that Lucy felt the tension dwindle slightly too.

'He hasn't changed that much I can a sure you. Anyway, I better get going I only came home to pick up some paper work,' She said grapping a pile off the kitchen top.

'James will be finished soon so you won't have to wait around much. I don't get off till half five but I'm sure I'll find you,' Naomi nodded.

'I'm guessing you've read his note?' she asked as she pointed to the sheet on the table, 'We went and get some of your stuff yesterday, we've put it all in your room. It's second on the left in case you're wondering, not that this place is much of a maze,' She joked and Naomi chuckled back even though it did make her feel guilty as she realised that she was taking up the limited space that they had.

'Just make yourself at home; I'm sure you'll find everything fine and I'll see you later. Nice meeting you Naomi,' She beamed before swivelling round.

'Yeah you too,' Naomi called as she descended the stairs and left the building. Once the door slammed shut and silence descended over the house Naomi released the massive amount of air out of her over expanded lungs.

'Jesus,' she breathed to herself but felt a smile nip at her lips before she started to snigger to herself, she couldn't get over how bloody terrified she was for absolutely nothing. For the first time that day she felt her spirits rise, so much so that she opened the fridge door and helped herself to the one of the many beers, she opened it and let out long sigh of contentment as she felt the cool liquid flow down her gullet. She closed her eyes as she acquainted herself with the long lost feeling of happiness.

An hour or so later Naomi found herself lazily spread across the sandy coloured sofa watching another degrading episode of Jeremy Kyle. She couldn't believe that she just got out of prison and she's spending it watching bloody Jeremy Kyle but it was half two in the afternoon and the only other thing on was antiques road show, at least this she could laugh at she thought as she watch some chubby woman complain about how she didn't know which man had fathered her seventh child. She was just about the switch over when she heard the opening of the front door followed by,

'BLOOOOOOOONDIE, YOU BETTER BE PISSED AND READY TO PAAAARRRTY!' Let the games begin, Naomi thought.


	3. Chapter 3

"So I said to 'him. Oi pissy pants, either clean that up or I'm throwing you out! You should have been there man," Cook managed to squeeze out between his own laughter, completely oblivious to the fact that Naomi had no idea what he was talking about, but she continued to humour the boisterous character regardless. It had been the first time in ages that Naomi had seen her good friend be so care free and happy around her, something that was defiantly due to the fact that every time previous that they had met the environment wasn't exactly friendly. She had her worries about coming back to this place but for now when she was sat in with a cool drink in her hand and her best friend next to her things were looking alright. All the other stuff she knew was to come was pushed aside as she finally managed to rebuild the friendship she thought she had lost from all those years being restricted by her majesties prison service, and a fine job they did from making Naomi do anything possible to prevent her from ever going back there. She'd drink to that she thought as she took another sip of the drink that had just been put in front of her by an ancient looking Uncle Keith.

"Cheers Keith," Cook said after downing the pint he'd been nursing and passed it over the bar to the wrinkled bartender.

"No problem Cookie just good to have you back Blondie. This place has been missing the female company, you know..." He was quickly cut off by his own harsh coughing and bent over as if he was about to throw up his own lung and from the sounds of him it wouldn't surprise Naomi. He eventually popped up from behind the bar, grabbing a pint glass and spat something inhuman into the glass. Naomi felt her face scrunch as she watched Keith simply wipe the inside of the glass with a tattered rag and place it back on the shelf for whatever unsuspecting victim, Naomi reminded herself to watch when her next drink was being poured.

"Now on that note I think I'd best be off, Cookie be a good lad and watch the bar for us," Cook nodded and said his goodbyes as did Naomi as Keith walked away.

"I guess some things never change," Naomi murmured as she watched Keith's rounded form waddle away.

"That's Uncle Keith for ya. FUCKING MENTAL!" Cook yelled grabbing Naomi in a playful headlock not taking any notice of the few ageing, alcoholic customers that managed to divert their attention from whatever drink they were using to wash away their troubles. Naomi could remember when she did that, before she was sent to that place, back when her only thought when she woke up and the last before she fell asleep (if she was lucky to sleep) was of the tear stained face of the redhead she could never forget.

Naomi pushed the hyperactive Cook off her, Cook slightly taken back at the young woman's new found strength.

"Woah Blondie, got yourself a nice set of guns there," He joked as poked her right bicep.

"Boredom takes its toll," She muttered taking a sip from her drink noticing the way Cook's smile fell and mentally kicked herself for bringing up that place, tonight was about celebrating her freedom and she hated that Cook still blamed himself for something that had been her fault and her fault alone.

"But I'm going to need them to haul your sorry arse out of wherever we end up tonight,'" She smiled when Cook's face came to life again.

"I'll drink to that," He said while clinking his glass against hers.

"So come on Naomio, what's the plan?" Cook started once he settled himself back into the bar stool.

"What you mean?"

"Well the only way is up from 'ere, so what yon gonna do about it?"

"Dunno." She shrugged, "Need to get a job, but fat chance getting anywhere on this job market with a criminal conviction,"

"Ahhh fuck 'em, you've got a place to stay. Come on man, there must be something better than that you want from this freedom," Naomi thought to herself for a minute, she had to admit she had spent all those six years dreaming of now but never thought about where she was going to go after it. If she was going to be honest she felt pretty damn lost and confused, like a small fish in the ocean. Of course she'd never admit it, Cook had already given her a place to live rent free and he didn't need a massive sob story as a thank you.

"Stability would be nice for now." She finally said after not being able to think of anything that would be impressive on a Cook level.

"Ah, you're boring man. But Cookie will soon sort that," He grinned as he jumped behind the counter top and produce various aged bottles, years worth of dust on them.

"Doubt Keith will be needing these any more and I'm calling shotgun," Cook said grabbing two glasses pouring a generous measure in both. Naomi wrinkled her nose as an overpowering wave attacked her nostrils.

"What the hell is that? Seriously Cook, that stuff probably hasn't been touched since the last time I was here," Naomi countered watching Cook take a mouthful of the questionable liquid.

"Probably came with the pub when Keith bought it," Cook spluttered once the mouthful had gone, "Jesus that's rotten," He gasped looking at the dusty bottle it had come from.

"Well on the bright side I'm not blind or anything so come on, get it down ya," He said handing her the other glass. Naomi eyed the glass cautiously but then thought- 'fuck it, I'm celebrating' and downed it in one, instantly regretting it when it hit the back of her throat.

Naomi couldn't be sure how long ago it had been since she'd been in Keith's pub but then again she barely knew where she was at the present moment in time, and to be honest she didn't really care either. She remembered Cook's bird, whats-ername, Lacey? Ah, she didn't know but she turned up at Keith's and by that time both Cook and Naomi had no control over their legs but still somehow made it to some club, but whether the club she was now was the same one was questionable. The pounding of bass made her entire body shake, a thick haze of sweat and alcohol almost smothering her plus the fact that the money Cook had given her was almost gone, all this just proved that clubbing was just as shit now as it had been back in her teens. She somehow managed to stumble her way through the dancing silhouettes toward the bar, she swore she saw from the corner of her eye Cook and whatever her name stumbling into the ladies in a massive tangle of heated limbs. Naomi was almost at the bar but ended up tripping over her own feet and slumped onto the bar with a heavy thud.

"Fucking hell." She slurred trying to quickly raise her head to find someone to serve her but decided her head was better on the bar top when the whole world spun around in an unidentifiable blur, so she let her head rest but still waved one arm around like a lunatic so the bar staff could see she wanted to served. In her drunken state the whole affair seemed completely normal however her sober counter part would've seen that she looked like a giraffe that had broken its neck and was doing a shit job of trying to retrieve leaves from the tree top with its leg.

"Having a good night?" Naomi lazily rolled her head in the direction where the voice came from. She couldn't make out who it was through the drunken fog that had overtaken her vision but what was clear it was defiantly a woman, she could imagine that the she had a smirk on her face if she was looking at Naomi's sorry state.

"How are you these days?" The female asked again. If she had been sober Naomi knew she would've been freaked out by the woman's weird behaviour but her alcohol filled body just told her to accept it and treat like any other everyday occurrence.

"oh...you know...drunk," Naomi stuttered out as she managed to bring her heavy head from the bar top. She heard the woman snigger again.

"Obviously you don't remember me?" Naomi turned back the woman blur, her wavy brunette waves slightly coming into focus but if it wasn't for the voice this person could've been a guy in drag, although in this drunken state it probably was her eye site wasn't the only thing that was fucked.

"Should I?" Naomi asked with a small hiccup.

"Here," The blur grabbed her hand and Naomi felt what she reckoned was a pen being traced on the back of her hand.

"Get in touch when you remember. Cya around Naomi," She said before taking her drink and going off into the crowd. Naomi brought her hand to her face but but barely make out her hand let alone what was on it. She tried squinting and closing one eye, she swore her tongue was sticking out as she put all her concentration on reading the message but got nowhere. She shrugged her shoulders, she could always worry about it tomorrow, and with that turned back to the bar to try her hand at getting another drink.


	4. Chapter 4

A groan followed by the harsh sting of light invading her retinas was what Naomi woke up to that morning, and adding the headache which was the equivalent off somebody repeatedly hammering a nail into her head, was just the cherry on top of this awful wake up.

'Fuck,' Naomi murmured as she rolled her delicate body so that she was looking up at the ceiling. At least it was one consolation that she had woken up in her bed, or the bed she was now to be occupying for the time being. She knew it was a bad idea to drink so heavy when she hadn't had a sip of the stuff in six whole years. After a few moments of trying to get her head into some sort of coherent form she decided that she must relieve her bladder and do something about the Sahara mouth she had. She threw the covers off and sat on the edge of the bed, stretching her arms, untying all the knots that had developed from years of sleeping on the prison service's finest back breaking beds. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and once satisfied she made her way to the bathroom, taking a few short moments so that her head wouldn't send her in circles.

Once she had grabbed herself a drink she sat herself on Cook's makeshift balcony out of the kitchen window, taking a seat in the shabby sun bed as she enjoyed the unusual early morning sun on her face with a slight cool breeze tapping against her skin and looked over the industrial skyline. She had to admit it was probably the first time she had looked at such a place and somehow managed to retrieve any form of prospect from it, but she guessed from where she had come from she could probably find prospect in the bottom of an empty coke can. She knew that today she must start the process of facing past demons and getting herself back on track, she figured she must start with her blood, her mother. The last time she saw her in the flesh was when she got sentenced, her normally bright, hazel eyes were clouded and almost grey. Naomi knew that her mother was deeply disappointed and she figured that her mother probably thought it be good for her to get what she deserved, eat humble pie was what Naomi remembered her calling it. It didn't really surprise the young blonde as her mother, from as far back as she could remember, was always drilling into her mind to love each and everyone with her crazy hippy attitude that Naomi had taken for granted her whole childhood but would've killed for when she was in a six by six cell. She remembered that mother would always send her letters every week, just simple little notes that were almost like postcards as her mother reported back from the free world that was so alien to Naomi when she was locked behind closed doors. Naomi would remember the slight tear she would shed when she'd read the letter, her mothers voice playing over in her head. There would never be anything special in the content but stories of how Keiren's tiramisu the night before had gone disastrous or how she was rounding up people for whatever protest she'd got herself into, all gave Naomi a sense of normality, for a few hours at least. But Naomi now decided that she needed to get on some sort of playing field with her mother, and also she was hoping that mother hadn't thrown out her ageing bicycle that she'd need if she was going to save as much money as possible.

"You alright Blondie?" Naomi turned to see Cook climbing out the kitchen window on to the balcony, dressed in nothing but a pair of scraggy boxers.

"Yeah, just trying to get my head working again." She smiled as he took a seat in the other sun bed.

"Pretty mental night?"

"From what I can remember, yeah." Cook chuckled, stretching his muscular arms as he looked up to the deep blue sky above them.

"Ha ha I know what your saying man. How did we even get home?" Naomi thought for a second but got nothing but a big massive void from where she imagine the majority of her night was hidden behind. Naomi shook her head and Cook giggled to himself. The two fell into a comfortable silence and listened to sounds of Bristol waking up to a brand new day. Gone were the craze of drunken people and beeping horns of taxi's just desperate to get home, the stars being over powered by the sun and with it a new day filled with many hangovers and a calming aura...until the early morning rush hour.

"So, what's the plan today babes?" Cook asked after a few moments of peace.

"Don't know, probably need to see my mum. She'll probably want to know that I'm...you know...here,"

"Do you want me to come with?" Naomi felt her lip slightly curve at the gesture.

"Nah I'll be fine, I'm a big girl now," She joked, "But I probably gonna have to go and get some of my stuff from storage though, if that's alright?"

"Yeah, that's cool man. We'll go when you get back fro..." Cook suddenly cut himself off and Naomi noticed he was staring at her hand. She looked down and notice some writing on her right hand, a mobile number followed by call me, the name however was all smudged. She could make out what she thought was an 'f' but for all she knew it could've been anything.

"Look at you, ya stud," Cook smirked. Naomi furrowed her brow as she tried to think back but still got nothing.

"Well come on, tell me. Who's the lucky lady?" Naomi still dumbfounded didn't reply.

"Come on let's have a look," He said pulling her hand toward his eye line. He cackled to himself as he looked over the eleven digit phone number and the message.

"What you gonna do about it Romeo?"

Naomi shrugged, "Nothing, I don't even know who it is," She finished.

"Well there's only one way to find out." He said making a little phone gesture with his hand.

"No! Besides I've only just got out of bloody prison, need to get everything else sorted out before I even start thinking about anything like that," Naomi argued, silently praying that Cook would just let it be. She wasn't ready she kept reminding herself but she had to admit there was a fine line between not being ready for something and not wanting something, still clinging onto something that was so long gone it was just a minuscule blip on the radar.

"Awww! Come on blondie, there's no harm in wondering," Countered and with out warning yanked her by the hand he was holding, through the window into the kitchen. Naomi may have developed more strength over the years but not even Mike Tyson could probably pull away from a determined Cook.

He grabbed the phone, mumbling under his breath as he read the number then typed it into the phone. He passed her the phone but she quickly stepped back, she'd be damned if she was going to talk to some random person who she'd only met previously when she was rat arsed. Cook rolled his eyes and brought the phone back to his ear. After a few moments Naomi faintly heard a hello from the phone and with that Cook's eyes widened looking like a dear in the headlights. He quickly slammed the phone back onto the receiver and paused looking at the phone as if it had just combusted. Naomi was about to ask what all that was about but he quickly cut her off in a frantic ball of words.

"Didn'tpickup," Naomi gave him a confused look which he chose to ignore and announced he was going for a shower and quickly exited the room. Naomi watched him leave wondering what the hell had just happened. She wanted to hit redial but figured best not, besides who knew what she did last night and this number could be for her to pay for whatever damages she caused, not that she'd have much money to give them.

After the whole phone incident Naomi thought it would be best to leave Cook to himself for a bit, so she quickly had herself a shower and threw on the few clothes that Cook had kindly got her from her storage before making her way toward her mothers house.

It had taken an hour and a half but she finally made it and as she made her way up the steep hill toward the house with the blue front door, she hoped that her mother would allow her in the house as her feet hurt and her legs ached and she could do with a good sit down. She paused outside the blue metal gate looking up toward the small terrace house, it was still as how she remembered apart from the front garden a lot better maintained than when she had it all those years ago, when the two love birds that now occupied the place had gone away on some sort of romantic world tour. But then she thought how many eighteen year old's want to garden when they've got the stress of their a levels and hectic social lives.

She walked to the door and rang the doorbell, not quite sure if it was acceptable for her to just walk like she used to do when she was a grumpy, teenage cow. She could hear scuttling and the unique trail of Irish cursing from inside the house. Naomi felt her palms go sweaty and her heart beat faster, the blood pumping to her ears and hands making them throb and now the pain from her tired legs and feet were forgotten as she now started to consider if this was a good idea and if she still had time to bail, but all thoughts were cut short when the ear pounding clink of the lock being taken off and the old door creaking open followed by a bearded face popping out.

The man's eyes widened as he took in the young woman at door debating whether she was real or was his ageing mind playing tricks on him but when she shot him a shy smile followed by,

"Hey Keiren, long time no see," He felt his whole face lighten up.

"Naomi! Its so good to see you. Gina! Gina, come and look at who's here. What you doing still out there, come in, come in," He drabbled as he ushered her into the doorway.

Naomi felt her entire body relax as Kerien fussed over her and made her go into the kitchen, once there he made her sit down at the table, the same wooden table where so many turning points in her life had occurred. When she lost her first tooth because she wasn't looking where she was going and smack her mouth on one of the oak legs, when she went to her first protest and her and her mum sat the whole night before making signs, and finally when she first realise she was in love with someone and her mum comforted her making her realise that you can't control everything so when something gets handed to you, don't take it for granted. 'The people we love are never people you expect, so when you find someone you've got to cherish it'.

Naomi quickly snapped herself out of it as she looked up to find her own mother with her blonde hair now with a few silver streaks sticking out at all angles, dirt and weeds tangled in it and still with that heart warming smile that could never fail make Naomi feel like she was safe, even if she would die before she'd admit it.

"ello love," Her mother grinned, her hazel eyes brimming with tears,

"Well come on, what you waiting for? Come give your old mum a hug," Her arms stretched out and ready and Naomi didn't question it as she stood up and for the first time in along let herself sob as she clung onto her mothers long awaited body.

After the tears from both Naomi, her mother and even Kerian had subsided the three found them sat around table enjoying a pot of one of the many weird and wonderful teas that Gina had picked up from her travels.

"So where you staying now then love?" Gina asked as she poured herself yet another cup from the bright red tea pot,

"Keiren?" she offered but he hastily declined then slyly cast Naomi an unimpressed look clearly indicating that this cup of tea was defiantly not to his taste.

"Well, I'm going to leave you girlies to it. Think I might have another go at getting those weeds out," Kerian said getting up, pouring his full mug of tea down the sink and exited into the garden.

Gina chuckled,

"Silly old git, what does he take me for? He knows I'll find him fast asleep in that shed when I go out there,"

Naomi smiled looking out of the kitchen window at Keiran sitting in the shed a newspaper in his arms.

Finally she turned back to her Mum once she was settled back in her chair, tea ready for the taking.

"So, where was it you said you were staying?"

"I'm staying with Cook and his girlfriend, its only temporary till I manage to get some money together,"

"Oh well that's good, because I was going to say your room here is still free if you like, don't think anybody has gone in it since you left. Actually, I'm telling fibs because that girl…oh what was her name? Erm…..Katie? Yes, Katie she came and took some stuff away just after…well after everything," Naomi's gaze fell slightly but Gina could still see the changed, like any other mother she knew when something was bothering her daughter.

"So I take you and Emily hasn't spoken then?"

"What made it so obvious?" Naomi huffed, taking a scolding mouthful of tea, cherishing the feeling of it burning her gullet as it slid down into her stomach, anything to mask the emotion that sprung to life every time that name was mentioned.

"Well, just so you know I haven't heard a peep, the last time I ever heard anything was when Katie came over and even then nothing was said about Emily apart from she'd moved back in with her parents .So she never got in contact with yo.."

"No." Naomi interrupted. She didn't need to know, her and Emily's lives were so far apart that it wasn't worth worrying about, at least that's what she tried to convince herself of.

Gina knew it was wrong of her to discuss such things, especially when they had only just reunited but Naomi was such a closed book and she would never voluntarily open up about it so she knew it was her job as a mother to help, even if it did seem a tad unfair.

The silence was very tense and Gina knew at times like these it was best to let Naomi cool off on her own so she was grateful when Naomi said,

"Can I go to my room now; I haven't got much stuff at Cooks." Gina nodded and Naomi left. She sighed as she took her and Naomi's cups to sink. Even though she was not a religious person and saw religion as something that caused more bad than it did good, she prayed that Naomi would be alright.

When Naomi went into her room, true to her Mum's word everything was untouched. She walked around for a bit grazing her fingers along her many books, cd's and just general mementos that were dotted around the place. She stopped when she saw a picture of her and Cook at the bar at Keith's. Naomi holding up a bottle of tequila and Cook with his arm around her shoulder obviously midway between his coyote howl he always did when tequila was around. She put it in her pocket knowing that it would defiantly get a smile from the boy wonder. Naomi decided there was a quite a bit of stuff she'd like to take with her so she dug out the duffel back she knew was in the bottom of her wardrobe and started to pile stuff in. Memories of nights out, protests and just general bits and bobs she'd picked up from hanging around with people gave Naomi endless amounts of joy and was something she didn't realise she missed so much until now. Naomi then started to go under the bed, bringing out shoe boxes full of stuff, most of it work from collage but it gave Naomi a bit of a buzz when she read what her seventeen/eighteen year old mind thought and how naive she was back then, even though she was sure that she look at life with the utmost perspective.

Looking at her writing she knew that she would've had an absolute amazing time at university and would've fitted in with no question, plus she knew with the a level results she got universities would've been on their knees to have such a pupil come to their establishment. But she figured that there's no point debating what could've been because this was now and that's what mattered.

She sighed and continued to forage through the mounds of items that where under the bed, she swore it was like Narnia under there. It wasn't till she brought out one box that the sentimental smile from her face suddenly fell. Unlike the other flimsey, cardboard boxes this was a solid oak, finely crafted box with a beautiful, pristine finish. But all this was not what scared the young woman, the swirly calligraphy that graced the lid which spelt 'EMILY', was what sent shivers down her spine. She wanted to throw it away and common sense was screaming at her to do just that and leave the past where it belongs but something else compelled her to open the box and fall to whatever it was inside.

Naomi carefully removed the lid and a cloud of dust greeted her, she quickly swatted away the particles and could feel the burst of adrenaline running through her as she peered inside. She took in a deep breath at the sight and almost choked as it hit her. She remember the days Emily complained that she needed something to store precious things in, so Naomi being the loved up mess she was got a personalised box from a contact of her mothers and gave Emily, she then said that Naomi was to keep it as all the precious things she had to keep only came around when she was with her.

There was everything from photographs to jewellery, even pebbles that they'd picked up from whatever place they'd been to. After a few more minutes of searching Naomi finally found the strength to close the box and put it back where she had found it. The past had to stay behind her in order for her move and make something of this second chance she had been given, Emily had probably already done that a long time ago and now it was Naomi's turn.

After last quick scan over the room she decided to pick up her hefty duffle bag and go downstairs to bid her farewells to her mother and Keiran.

"Did you get everything you wanted?" Her mother asked once Naomi had got to the bottom of the stairs.

"Erm…yeah, nearly everything," Naomi said place the bag at the foot of the stairs.

"Why? What else were you looking for?"

"Well…..

"That's it there," Gina said pointing to the bike that looked quite the sight for swore eyes. Its once blue paint now rusty and worn, the spokes all bent and misshapen and the back wheel had a definite puncture.

"It hasn't been used since you left, I haven't had the need for it and can you really imagine Kerian on a bike? He believes exercise should be done in more….pleasurable ways," Gina giggled and Naomi's quick groan of disguise. Naomi rolled her eyes and went up to the bike testing out its brakes which quite remarkably still worked.

"It should be alright for me to get me back." Naomi eventually said as she hoped onto the seat.

"Okay, now are you sure you won't stop for tea because we're having lamb casserole and I haven't made it so the chances of it being burnt are considerably less," Gina joked.

"No Mum I'm fine, like I said I've got some more things I need to do,"

"Well if you're sure, and Naomi," She quickly slid in just as Naomi was about to take off,

"Don't be a stranger." She finished with a kiss to her cheek. Naomi smiled then said her goodbyes and pedalled off back to home.

It had been a week since Naomi had been back in her mother's life, and vice versa and nothing much had happened since apart from an endless string of none hopeful job applications and interviews, as soon as she mentions the small matter of a criminal conviction she pretty much gets shown the door. She never thought she see the day when the various chain supermarkets and restaurants would be trying to get somebody to leave their shop, but on reflection Naomi decided its probably best that she didn't get a job at the kind of place that she had be programmed to hate before she could even walk by her mother. On the plus side though she had manage to bring her once crippled bike back from the dead and all for not even the price of one single penny. She had to admit the work she did on restoring the contraption had been pretty good as it looked pretty much brand new. When she wasn't searching for a job or going to and from job interviews she was in her mother's garage using the array of untouched tools that belonged to Kerien on her beloved bike. She remembered the hours she spent trying the straighten out the spokes and rub away all the rusty paint work, but eventually the effort paid off and now she had a mode of transport which was slightly faster than her own two feet.

She had just come out of yet another failed job interview, her feet scraping along the pavement as she felt about as worthy as dog faeces plus the heavens had just opened up so she quickly mounted her bike and pedal full pelt to the end of the road in order to look for a place of refuge where she could wait till the summer, stormy shower had eased off a bit. After finding nothing she did a sharp turn down a narrow side road which eventually brought her to a small shop which looked to be a bike shop/ repairs. She was still soaking wet and the rain just seemed to be getting more and more vicious, she looked up at the jet black sky and just thought 'sod it, I'm not staying out here any longer than I have to' so lent her bike against the shop wall and make a sprint toward the shop.

She burst through the door and quickly shut once inside, her entire body dripping with the warm rain.

"Jesus," She mumbled. Once she managed to move her saturated hair out of her eyes she got have a good look at the place. It was a fair size, with bare brick walls and bikes from BMX to racing mounted everywhere, various band posters dotted about the place majority of them of a metal or rock genre, there was the faint sound of Motorhead filling the otherwise silent shop.

"Can I help you?" A broad Scouse accent asked. Naomi looked up to see and relatively young guy, around her age maybe a little bit older looking at her. He had short, dark brown hair, wearing a Misfits vest, his tree trunk arms ( the right one a completed sleeve tattoo the other arm a half sleeve) were on show and with both his ears with plugs in he'd be any pensioners nightmare but Naomi knew better than to judge a book by its cover, especially after being in prison. There were tonnes of women that she herself would've taken one look at on the street and done anything possible to go in the opposite direction, but when you got to know you found out that they were pretty harmless, some she could've even considered a friend.

However at this moment in time Naomi had no answer to his question and she didn't think he'd take too kindly to 'oh I'm not buying anything I'm just using your shop as my own personalised bus shelter'.

"Excuse me?" He asked again and again Naomi had no reply. She looked around for something, anything that could help, and that was when it hit her, slap bang in the face and Naomi could not remember another time where she'd been so happy to be metaphorically slapped in the face.

"Erm… I'm here to enquire about a job."

"Huh?"

"a…job" She pointed a sign in the window looking for staff.

"What…you?" She nodded feeling slightly uneasy at being in such an unknown environment.

"You want a job here, as a bike repair ma… I mean person" He said looking at her like she had just sprouted a second head. After an uncomfortable paused he started again,

"Well erm…do you have any experience?"

"I pretty much built my own bike again," She couldn't believe she was actually trying this, she must've been pretty damn desperate. He started to chuckle as she felt her ego pretty much shrink to borrower size.

"Alright then," She couldn't this was actually happening, "You be here at nine tomorrow and we'll see how you go. You do good then you get paid and have a job by the end of the day, if you fuck up…..well let's just say the sooner you go home the more you've fucked up," He smiled and Naomi had to admit his no bullshit attitude was pretty refreshing from all the fake smiles and corny catch phrases she heard from endless chain company mangers.

"Okay deal. I'm Mike and welcome to Mike's Bikes, and you are?" She said shaking his hand.

"Naomi,"

"Naomi. Oh and by the way, Naomi, if I'm not here then just wake me up,"

"Wake you up?"

"Yeah, I live upstairs," He said pointing to the roof, "oh yeah and don't be alarmed if some girl answers the door, that's just my girlfriend," Naomi smiled nodded and said her thank you before making her way out, her mood instantly brightening and it wasn't just because of the fact that the rain had stopped.

The next day Naomi was up bright and early. She was a total quivering wreck, she didn't know why but it felt like if she didn't get this job then there wouldn't be any point of her trying again. Even down to stupid things like what the hell should you wear for an interview at a bike shop with a metal theme, in the end she figured a pair of tatty jeans and her long lost Nirvana t-shirt that she almost forgot she had till she found it the other day at her mothers. She was sat at the table trying to eat a bowl of cornflakes but her nerves were getting the better of her when Cook walked in.

"Morning Blondie, you're up earlier," He said as he turned on the kettle, "You want one?" She shook her head. Cook grinned at his friends fidgeting mess, he knew she'd be fine, she was Naomi and was bloody smart, she honestly could do anything if she put her mind to it.

"You'll be fine Blondie,"

"Yeah, yeah," She mumbled trying to sound like she wasn't bothered but it was plain to see she was at unease but Cook choose to leave it, if there was one thing that gets on Naomi's nerves its somebody telling her what she's feeling. Too independent for her own good Cook always said.

An hour later Naomi set off on her bike toward Mike's Bikes, it was a bit of a pain that it was pretty much on the other side of the city but it was a possibility of a job and that was enough for Naomi, luckily today it wasn't a total wash out like the day previous. After forty minutes of solid cycling she finally made it to the narrow alleyway that she had raced down the day before in the pouring rain. She parked up her bike and made her way into the shop but was stopped when the door didn't budge, looks like she was going to have to d that wake up call they were talking about. She noticed another door down from the entrance and a small letter box next to it and figured that must have been the entrance the flat upstairs.

She was about to knock on the door when it was quickly opened and Mike came flying out almost knocking Naomi clean off her feet but she managed to hold both herself and Mike up, which was no mean feet considering he was built like a house.

"Jesus sorry Naomi, did see ya there," She was about to say it was fine but was cut off,

"hold on. SEE YA LATER BABES!" He shouted up the stairs obviously to his girlfriend before slamming the door.

"Right then shall we?" He said as he opened the shop door. Today was going to be interesting the two thought as they made their way in.

Both Naomi and Mike didn't realise how fast eight hours could go but before they knew it the open sign was being flipped to closed and the whole shop was quiet again after the many customers that had filed in throughout the day were gone. Naomi couldn't believe how much had done in just one shift, she also couldn't believe she could actually repair majority of the bikes that got brought having Mike comment many times that she had a bit of a knack for this kind of thing and she also discovered she had an unknown love for various metal bands. All in all it was a pretty good day so naturally she was over the moon when Mike started to discuss shifts, wage and starting to sort herself out with better specs for her own rustic bike.

"And finally Campbellator here is your wage for today," He said as he took some notes out of the till and handed it to her. She couldn't believe, for the first time in years she had money, she had a job and she didn't feel like she was a burden on anyone else because her goal to be a self sufficient citizen was getting closer, things were finally back on track.


	5. Chapter 5

It'd been quite a few weeks since she got her job at Mike's Bikes and she would be lying if she said she wasn't enjoying life at the minute. Since there was only Mike and Naomi employed at the shop it wasn't long before Mike was cool with her running the shop some days by herself so he could have a few days off and vice versa. It felt good to finally have a bit more responsibility and to be a hell of a lot more independent, she didn't think that anyone else out there would give her the chance that Mike had. She had explained to him that she had a criminal record and talked to him about the circumstances but he was amazingly fine with it, simply saying,

"You don't want to try and kill me now , right?" with his blunt personality

"Erm, no."

"Well then I don't think we'll have a problem." And just like that it was fine. She liked Mike, his direct nature was something that Naomi never got with anyone else apart from her mother, everybody was always trying to blatantly weave around the fact that she had gone to prison and that just made Naomi feel worse. Cook was a perfect example, always trying to avoid any topic that has anything to do with police in general and trying to mask that everything was fine by going to the pub and getting them both of there faces. Don't get her wrong, she still loved Cook like any other best friend would but he was a bit infuriating at times. Naomi had noticed that ever since that stupid phone call he made with that number on her hand he'd been acting really weird, any time the phone rang he jump and make a bee line to answer it. Naomi can only ever remembered a couple times when somebody had answered the phone before him, and every time he looked to be on the edge of his seat but would instantly let out a massive sigh of relief when he was told it was just another person trying to flog them something. Being secretive was never one of Cook's strong points and from way he was acting Naomi concluded that whatever he was hiding he most defiantly didn't want anybody to know about it. She did try to get some information out of him but Cook's lips were always sealed and she finally decided not to bother with it. Whatever it was it's Cook's problem and he obviously didn't want any help with it. Besides she figured its pretty crap payback for him letting her stay in his house rent free by sticking her nose it his problems he evidently didn't want to share.

It was a Thursday and both Naomi and Mike were in the shop hard at work, they'd had a lot of work recently and it was too much for just one person to be working by themselves so they decided to stick this week out and try and get in as much time as possible. It was alright when you were quiet as you could go into the back room and work on what repairs were needed and pop in and out of the front shop whenever their were customers, but when it was busy and you had a lot of repairs lined up there was no way you could go it alone, unless you wanted to shut the shop so you could work solely on repairs but that was a big no-no from Mike, business meant money and it was that simple.

Today Naomi had been assigned to the back while Mike stayed out front and kept an eye out. They must've had a quiet spell as she could hear Mike muttering to himself as he did stock checks. However the silence was soon diminished when Naomi heard the bell indicating a customer had just come through the front door.

"Hey babes," She heard Mike say, obviously it was his girlfriend, either that or he had some weird customer relationships.

Naomi hadn't met Mike's girlfriend despite the fact that she had worked here almost three months and apparently she pretty much lived with him above the shop. She didn't really take it to heart as she didn't take herself as one of those people that had know everything about someone that they had only just made friends with.

She was trying to un-tighten the wheel of this racing back she was working on but the spanner she had was just not going to work on the odd looking bolt, it was one those racing bikes that they had way back in the sixties and none of the tools she had in the back were going to do the job, she did remember that Mike had a tool box filled with tools that were designed to be used on these kind of bikes but they were under the counter in the front. She walked through the doorway into the front shop which came out behind the paying counter and didn't even look in the direction of Mike and his girlfriend who she assumed were near the door judging by the volume of their voices.

"Hey what you looking for?" Mike shouted over to her.

"That tool box with the tools for the older kind of bikes. You know those sixties hunks of junk that are built like a tank and refuse to let you repair it by not letting you take it apart," She heard Mike chuckle and he swiftly jumped over the countered top and began helping her look for the lost item.

"You idiot dude, it was right in front of you!" He teased as he pulled out the bright red metal case which was literally in front of her.

"Oh shut up you," She countered as she stood up putting the box on the counter top, she looked up and their was the girlfriend that was faceless till now. As Naomi saw her whole body froze with pure shock. Mike, completely oblivious to Naomi's sudden stone cold nature introduced them.

"Naomi this is Ka..-"

"Katie," She cut him off.

"Naomi?" Katie replied equally as shocked. She hadn't changed much physically, although Naomi was surprised to not see a single piece of animal print or tacky gold jewellery in sight, in its place a casual pair of black skinny jeans and vest with a cardigan on top.

"Oh so you know each other,," Mike said with a smile as he moved over to stand next to the twin. Naomi would never have put a guy like Mike with a girl like Katie, for starters they come from completely opposite ends of the spectrum but I suppose they do say opposites attract. To be fair when putting Mike next to the more grown up Katie they did look pretty well matched. Mike wasn't very tall standing roughly the same height as herself but he did have the muscles that seemed to draw Katie when Naomi thought back to her bast boyfriends and the many posters of Daniel Craig that plastered over her side of the bedroom she shared, back when she had a reason to be in that bedroom even though she wasn't too welcomed by certain members of that family.

"From a long time ago...a very long time ago," Katie finished, those chocolate eyes felt like they were staring into her soul. Naomi couldn't help but think of a near identical pair of eyes which she used to spend her days gazing at, days she used to take for granted, not any more though. The air went cold and from the look of Mike's face even he could feel it, his chatty persona desperate to break the awkward tension.

"I was about to say you would've thought you've twigged...you know?" Still silence.

"Well...erm I'm just gonna get that stuff for you babes. You wanna come with?" Naomi silently thanked Mike's efforts but was surprised when Katie said that she was going to stay put. That meant only one thing, Naomi was in for a good old fashion Fitch bitch. Mike took one last look between the two and quickly made his exit..._'girls, he really didn't understand them at times'_

As soon as the door closed Katie was in there,

"What you doing here Naomi," Naomi opened her mouth but nothing came out. What the hell was she to say? Eventually she got her mouth to cooperate with her brain

"I'm just trying to make a living Katie." She thought that would've been her best tacit.

"Are you sure? Are you sure your not just trying to weave your way back into our lives to ruin us all again!" It was like a stab to her heart but she figured that things had been going just that little bit too well since coming out of prison, this was just karma catching up with her.

"I'm just trying to sort myself out." She reasoned.

"Ugh, you three are all just as bad as each other," She spat. Three? Naomi thought.

"W...w...wait, what do you mean three?"

"Don't play dumb, it doesn't suit you," She snapped back and Naomi had to take in a big gulp of air as she could feel her teenage anger brimming to the surface, something that always happened when Katie Fitch was about.

"I honestly have no idea who you are talking about, the only person I've seen is Cook, Cook is the only person who ever came to see me!"

"Oh come off it Naomi. You, Cook and Effy were always scamming to keep Emily away from me, her family!"

"What? I haven't seen, heard or spoke to Effy since I...since I got put away. So I don't know where your hearing this from but its not true."

"I saw them, Cook and Effy were always taking Emily out getting her fucked to the high heavens and it was pretty obvious you'd been telling them to do it just so keep her in your grubby hands."

"What?" Naomi gasped, completely dumbfounded and the news, "No, that can't be right. Cook said that he hasn't seen anybody since everything happened,"

"Well he's lying! Because if it wasn't for my grandmother giving us that money so we could go away until university came around, who knows where Emily would've been." Katie's dark eyes glinting with the onset of tears in the shop's lighting.

"Emily would've just been washed up on the side of the road with a needle in her arm!" Naomi let out a ragged breath as she swallowed back the stinging in her eyes. Imagining that made Naomi sick to stomach, she swore if she hadn't controlled it she would've been emptying the contents of her stomach there and then, and would keep doing so till that ghastly image had left her mind, not that she deserved it to.

"Katie, you have to believe me I had no idea," Naomi breathed, edging closer to the now sobbing twin.

"I almost lost her, what would I have done if that had h...happened," Naomi now was close enough to Katie so that when her knees buckled under the emotional weight Naomi caught her and held her, not only for Katie's comfort but also to give herself a moment as she knew this was the closest she would ever get to Emily again.

"I'm sorry Katie, I'm so sorry," Naomi cooed as she rubbed the crying woman's back. Katie's fingers holding onto Naomi so tight that it hurt, maybe that was the intention.

"What's going on?" Mike gasped as he walked back into the shop and saw the scene that had unfolded in his absent. Naomi looked at him, her eyes filled with guilt and delicately untangled Katie from her limbs and past her into Mike's arms as carefully as if she was a new born baby.

"Mike there's some stuff I need to sort out. Is it alright if I leave early, I'll make up for it later on, I prom..."

"Yeah, Yeah sure. Just go and do whatever it is you've got to do," He said as he ushered her out with one hand, the other carefully threading through Katie's subtly, purple hair.

As soon as Naomi had left the shop she was on her bike and pedalled so fast through the streets of Bristol that she probably could've given Chris Hoy a run for his money. She had no concern for safety as she dived in and out of traffic, buses and cars beeping horns at her but she didn't care, the only thing on her mind was finding her so called best friend, her best friend who swore to her that he'd changed. Obviously he's a liar, just like the rest of them.


	6. Chapter 6

**I normally don't talk much on this but I figured I should say sorry for not updateing frequently and all of your reviews, subscriptions ect are amazing and I'm very greatful to everyone that supports me. I can't promise I'll get better with my updates in future but I promise I will try. Thanks ever so much again to everyone **

Naomi braked harshly outside the pub where Cook worked, she didn't bother to park her bike up she just dumped it on the pavement and stormed through the door. She was like a bull in a china shop and would not stop till she found who she was looking for. She scanned the room but stopped when she heard that loud, cocky howl that with out a doubt belonged to Cook. She turned to find just the man at the bar, a pint in one hand as he loudly conversed with a group of patrons.

"So I said, sorry love but you either drop ya knickers or-" He was suddenly cut off when Naomi grabbed him by the back of his polo shirt and hauled his body out of the pub into the shabby, little beer garden. She faintly heard one of the disgusting old men at the bar saying something along the line of Cook having problems with the misses again, '_Sexist pigs, the whole lot of them' _Naomi growled to herself.

"What the fuck you on Blondie?" Cook scowled as he pulled away from Naomi's grip, shrugging his shoulders to try and smooth out the scrunched up mess that his shirt was in.

"Why did you lie to me?" Naomi spat looking straight into his murky, blue eyes.

"What you on about?" His eyes clearly showing panic even though the rest of his body tried to convey the same old 'I don't give a shit' Cook attitude.

"About Effy, about Emily,"

"What you talking about?" His panic now starting to be more evident as he diverted his eyes from Naomi's steel gaze.

"Cut the bull shit Cook, I know you were still seeing them when I went to prison even though you said you'd had no contact with any of them, so start talking!"

"Okay, I saw them a couple times. Who gives a shit?" Naomi pushed him against the hard brick wall of the beer garden wall.

"No," violently shaking her head, "You know what I'm talking about, Cook. I saw Katie today, she told me!" Cook's shoulders slumped looking down at his feet, he let out a massive sigh. He nudged Naomi aside so he could get some air, Naomi allowed him to do so hoping that if Cook could pull himself together he would tell what the hell was going on.

"I did keep seeing them, Effy she…..I don't know, she felt like everything was her fault, you know with Freddie, you and her parents, she just kept blaming herself all the time, and I still loved her so couldn't let her go on her own," He said while he pushed his palms flat against the wall, his head hanging low as he took in large mouthful of air.

"Eff said that she couldn't do anything about Freddie or her parents but she said that she could help Emily and that would help you, something about one of us getting a happy ending. So I agreed to help…come on, you know how much I loved her, how could I say no?" He quickly wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"Anyway, I guess her methods weren't exactly traditional, or whatever you wanna call it. I mean we did the only thing we did best….get fucked and hope it all turned out alright." Naomi swore she felt herself growl slightly at Cook's so casual attitude to another person's feelings, Emily's feelings.

"At first it was just going out and getting pissed and…..having a few pills but eventually. Well…..one night Effy dragged us to this house, proper seedy place and it all turned into a bit of a blur. When I came to, I don't know how long we'd been there, I mean it could've been days. The stuff they were giving us was proper crazy shit." Naomi felt herself start to shake, she wasn't sure if she wanted to know but she knew she'd have to, she'd been assigned this the day she decided to sell those drugs to that girl. Everything had been a ticking time bomb since then and only now had the fuse ran out.

"We kept going back there months afterward, but this one time I came round after some crazy trip…..and I couldn't find Effy or Ems. I heard this banging so I went to check it out…..and," He choked on his words and lone tear trailed down his cheek.

"There was Eff, just freaking out, punching everything she could get her hands and then I looked over at the bed…and there was Emily, sh…sh..she wasn't moving, not even breathing," After that his tears turned into full on sobbing, he hunched himself in the corner, pulling his legs against his chest and wrapped his arms around himself.

"Why didn't you tell me Cook?" Naomi breathed her eyes stinging. It took a couple of minutes but he finally composed himself so that he could give a coherent reply.

"Effy wouldn't let me, I had to wait until she passed out….stop freaking before I could call an ambulance for Emily." Naomi couldn't believe what she was hearing. She always thought that where she went was the serious pits, the lowest of the low. How could she have been so self centred? There she was screaming her sob story when in truth she had it pretty good compared to Emily, her Emily. Sweet, kind, caring Emily who she broke and left for vultures, how could she have let this happen?

"Why did it matter what Effy thought?" She asked, feeling as though she had been too quiet throughout the conversation, and she couldn't believe her best friend couldn't have grown a fucking back bone when the woman she loved life was on the line.

"Eff said that the doctors would hurt Emily just like they had done her," Naomi wasn't convinced and continued to look at her friend with bitter disappointment.

"Naomi I was fucked out my mind on god knows what! You could've said the Queen was a duck and I'd believe you!" He defended.

"Then what happen?" Cook sniffed and wiped his tears on the shoulder of his shirt before continuing,

"She went to hospital and I think her family had enough, the doctors said it was a miracle they even got her back…..Katie said that their grandmother or something, had given them money to keep them occupied until they started Uni…..Man she was pissed,"

"Who?" Naomi asked confused.

"Katie. She came round to see, well more of a delivering a death threat if any of us were to go near her sister again. She said once Emily was out of

hospital she was going to take her far away from this mess. Get her off the shit that we kept giving her and make her realise that life doesn't revolve around fucking Naomi Campbell and her Motley Crew, were her exact words. At least one of us managed to get out, huh?" He added as he continued to sit, tucked away in the corner of the garden as if he honestly thought that was good enough barrier to keep all the crap from getting to them.

"Once Emily was gone….Effy just disappeared and then there was just little old me left, waiting for you," Naomi slumped down to the floor, sitting against the wall opposite to where Cook was. She knew she couldn't be angry at Cook; he literally had nobody, and the one he so desperately wanted just kept throwing him away as if he was as meaningless as a sweet wrapper. There was complete silence between the two as they just heard the drone of Bristol's late afternoon traffic, something that sounded a million miles away in their minds but in reality was only just on the other side of the wall.

"You know after she left….everything just meant nothing and I wanted to just end it all…. I thought at least then I could see Fredster again. He would've known what to do, always hauling my fucking arse out of shit he was." Cook let out a defeated chuckle then wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"But I knew I couldn't. I tried, was on top of that club where Sophia girl died took a shit load of pills washed them down with a bottle and a half of vodka…but I couldn't," He murmured as he stared up at the musky, sky above them. It's greyish tinge now turning into night time darkness.

"Why?" Naomi asked tearing her gaze from the sky to Cook's concentrated expression. Her heart screwing up in pain as it listened to Cook's dark thoughts being opened to the air.

"Because of you, you kept holding me back. Like they say, you never leave a man behind"

"Sorry for being such a burden," She paused taking a seat next to her friend on the hard concrete then putting an arm around his broad shoulders, her nose twitching as his aftershave hit her senses, his tearful features cuddling into her side,

"On the brightside at least I know I come before suicide on your list," Cook looked her and let out a little chuckle, it was morbid but at this moment in time they needed a bit of light hearted banter, even if it was on a subject so gruesome.

"Yeah, I suppose if I'd done that I wouldn't have met Lucy, and those water melons you can't say no to," Naomi snorted and Cook couldn't help but smile.

"Come on! You can't say you haven't thought about it!" He exclaimed.

"Don't you normally discourage your friends from thinking about your girlfriend in that way?"

"Ah, I don't know," He paused and the serious clouded in yet again, "All I do know is that she isn't Effy," Naomi focussed her attention on a small spot of dirt, there was nothing particular about it she just knew that she couldn't keep looking at Cook's pained expression.

"Nobody will ever change that. But it will never work will it? Cause she can't be mine because she isn't anybodies," He sighed and lent his head back on her shoulder again, feeling the small splatters of rain droplets fall onto his cheeks.

"Yeah, I think your right," Naomi agreed.

"Naoms?" Naomi felt herself stiffen at the nickname but acknowledge it never the less.

"Can we stay like this? Just for a bit," Naomi smiled at Cook's words.

"Yeah, we can," She felt as smile twitch at her lips as a cat flap came to mind.

It had been a few days since the whole Cook incident and Naomi still felt like she was treading on egg shells whenever she was around her friend. She was sure that there was still more to the whole situation but she decided to leave things to cool for a bit before she started to ask anymore questions. She'd been back to work and Mike was being pretty good with her, leaving the personal problems outside the shop and making things as normal as possible. She hadn't seen Katie since and Mike never mentioned her either. She felt bad for bringing somebody like Mike into her teenage dramas put what's done is done and all that was left to was to move on.

It was coming five o'clock on a Friday evening and it was one of the few days that Naomi just was desperate to get out the shop, the whole day seemed to have dragged on and all she wanted was to just not be confined by these stone walls.

"Alright then Nai, its five," Naomi breathed a sigh of relief and went to flip the sign on the door to closed.

"Man what a day, huh?" Mike breathed as stood at the counter looking over the sales for today.

"Yeah, bloody long," Naomi murmured as she lazily rested her elbows on the counter top.

"Anything you want me to do before I go?"

"Nah you're cool, go get yourself home," Naomi thanked him before going to the back room to collect her coat and bag.

"Alright then, I'll cya tomorrow Mike," Mike waved still looking at the books as Naomi left.

Once she got outside she breathed in a lung full of the fresh air that felt amazing against her flushed skin. Naomi didn't even look up the alley way and automatically went to unlock her bike, as she knelt down she swore she heard shuffling behind her but chose not to notice as there was a lot of wind about today and figured it just to be a plastic bag caught in the gusts, this wasn't some cheesy horror film Naomi reminded herself. Her suspicions however were heightened when she heard the thud of heavy boots followed by,

"Long time no see." Naomi froze as she recognised that voice even after all these years.

She slowly raised herself off of the ground and turned, then braced herself for who she was about to see.

She wasn't quite sure what it was but when that steel gaze and mysterious smirk came into view her whole mind went blank, it was almost as if she was meeting this woman for the first time, but Naomi knew she could never forget this individual.

"Effy," Naomi breathed as the young woman cocked one eyebrow.

"What you doing here?" Effy tilted her head, her topaz gaze cutting through Naomi like lasers. She didn't answer just brushed past her and surveyed Mike's shop with that inquisitive glint in her eye.

"Effy?" But she still remained to herself.

"Bikes? Nice," Effy finally said with an approving nod. Naomi didn't even want to know how Effy knew she was here but then again it didn't exactly surprise her that she of all people turned up outside of her work, after all she is Effy Stonem, all seeing Effy Stonem.

"Effy, what is going o…."

"Fancy a drink?" Naomi was taken back by offer and thought why the hell would she go for a casual drink with someone that not only had she not seen in six years but also, from the stories she heard, was completely mental and seemed to get kicks from playing with other people lives. But never the less she found herself accepting the offer.

Within ten minutes Naomi found herself sitting in a rustic bar, tucked away in the quiet corner, shielded by several, battered wooden beams that were obviously part of the places original architecture. Her newly reunited "friend" or whatever the hell she was, was at the bar ordering their drinks. She didn't even ask Naomi what she wanted just swayed straight to bar when they arrived leaving Naomi the task of finding a place to sit.

She eventually came back and placed what looked to be a pint in front of her but Naomi didn't want to try it, this was Effy after all and the chance of the drink in front her being laced with some sort of hallucinogenic wasn't allowed to be dismissed. Naomi pushed the drink to side and continued to survey the woman in front of her, she decided to best way to get Effy talking would be to try and beat her at her own game.

She didn't look all that different from when Naomi last saw her, the bags around her eyes larger and a small selection of ageing blemishes but it was still clear to see she still possessed her natural beauty that any woman would give billons for.

Effy took a small sip of her drink, analysing the woman in front of her over the rim of the glass. If there was one thing that struck her very different about Naomi Campbell it was her eyes. As Effy could recall, that steel gaze that at times could be intimidating and very powerful to some but to herself was a simple façade that was plain to see was only their to hide the love and adoration that was hidden beneath, only to be released by a blur of crimson hair and chocolate eyes. But the eyes before her were not filled with glinted adoration and love or even dominating fury for that matter. No, the eyes she was looking into were full clouded ageing, these eyes had lived and it was plain to see the things that they had seen were not for the faint hearted. She imagined these were the kind of eyes you were expected to find on elderly people as they lay on their death bed, clutching onto the last threads life before ultimately accepting that now was their time and let themselves fall to the darkening unknown. So, to see these orbs on such a young face was a site that was haunting even for somebody as callous as Effy Stonem.

Effy could see what Naomi was trying to do, compete against Effy in a game that was only hers to win. Effy knew Naomi wasn't stupid, far from it when you consider how academic she was, but she was a fool to try and take Effy on.

Effy felt herself smirk when Naomi broke the silence, accepting defeat and ultimately making Effy the champion in a very much one sided battle.

"What do you want from me?" Effy turned away from Naomi's question to survey the small pub, waiting like a predator for Naomi to bare herself completely.

"Cook told me what happened, what you did. I'm surprised you've got the fucking balls to show your face round here considering how fond you are of disappearing,"

The anger becoming prominent in Naomi's tone and just made Effy's attack even easier, the lack of control people have through their anger is a common human flaw, something that Effy lacked, but Effy was no human, more an animal waiting for its time to pounce.

"What do you want from me Eff? I've got fuck all to give you or anybody so just leave me alone, all I want is to be just left alone," Naomi snapped and Effy was now in for the kill.

"I'll always remember the day you left. She was crushed, just like him when I left," Naomi knew without question the two she was talking about, and for once in the entire time she had known this enigma in front of her, she knew exactly where she was going with this.

"Me and you…..not too far apart, huh?" Naomi felt the red hot poker being thrust, then twist and turned in her chest at those words. However as much as she refused to believe it she knew she had never heard anything so true before.

"Yeah," Naomi admitted with a hefty sigh, her initial anger sizzling but still remaining very much evident but in a more contained state.

"The difference is, you know where you're going," Naomi raised her head in confusion and query, "there's a road and you all walk along it…you don't float." Under any normal circumstances Naomi would've been looking at Effy as if she'd grown two heads and started to randomly bark like dog, but thinking about it now it did all make sense….sort of. When looking back it was true to say out of all of them Effy was the one with pretty much no direction, even Cook had goals even if they were as meaningless as shagging so many women and destroy so much of his liver, but Effy…. Like she said, she just seems to float from one person to the next, witnessing their problems from a third person perspective, sometimes helping sometimes leaving people ever more confused. It didn't really matter as when it came to Effy there was no consistency, it was just an erratic scribble and there's only so much you can do as you can't predict anything, you can't foresee the next move, so how can you stop it?

Naomi sat in silence and didn't move till she heard the thud of an empty glass on the table top, she quickly looked up to realise she was alone. The only evidence that somebody had been here was the lipstick print on the glass and a scrap piece of paper, a number etched onto the note followed by a message in very familiar hand writing

_Call me,_

_Effy_

Naomi felt the pieces slot into place as she visualised the message she found on her hand those many nights ago and the message in front of her. She wasn't quite sure why Effy was doing this, after all she had no direction, no route, so why was she revisiting past destinations?


	7. Chapter 7

"_Naomes, what is going on?" Emily whispered, her chocolate orbs glistening with fear. _

"_Shuuuush, just stay quiet, everything will be fine," Naomi shushed back, her body shielding the trembling red heads as they lay like weak, petrified rabbits, the fox circling the burrow waiting for its much deserved meal. _

"_NAOMI CAMPBELL THIS IS THE POLICE, MAKE YOURSLEF KNOWN TO US!" At the sound of the ear pounding voice from down stairs Naomi wrapped her arm tighter around the redhead while subconsciously pushing her further underneath the bed they were shielding under. Not that it would do much good, Naomi knew there was nothing she could do, they knew she was here and wouldn't leave unless she was going with them. She could feel the Emily's warm tears dripping onto her hand and girlfriends erratic heartbeat as she pressed herself closer into Naomi's side. Little did she know that would be the last time she would ever hold the woman she loved again, as seconds later the heavy thud of numerous boots came charging up the stairs coming straight into the bedroom before pausing. Both her and Emily's breathing shattered the silence like a fog horn calling out to the lonely night. One pair of feet lowered the rest of the owners body to the floor, a pair of murky eyes staring right into her pupils and for a second nothing happened, it was as if the officer was sizing her up as if to say 'come on do something daring, you've lost anyway' but before Naomi could register what was going on the officer grabbed the arm that wasn't around Emily and dragged her with force out into the open for everyone to look at, the only thing that made Naomi realise this was real was the sting of the carpet burns along one side of her torso…and Emily's screams, she couldn't forget Emily's screams. _

"Naomi yoo hoo, anyone there?" Naomi jumped slightly as she noticed Mike's mantic hand waving.

"Haha almost lost you their," He joked as Naomi smiled back at him.

"Anyway, what do you think?"

"Huh?" Naomi mumbled as she had no idea whatever Mike was referring to, really got to stop zoning out like that Naomi scolded herself as it was getting painfully clear that moments like this had been happening more frequently recently, getting in the way of her daily life and not just making her jolt awake in a mess of sweaty, breathless fear like it had been doing previously.

"Coming round to Dom's tomorrow night?" Mike reminded her as he wiped down the weights machine he had been using, making sure to ever so slightly compliment himself for breaking his personal best on bench presses. He had to admit he liked Naomi joining him in the gym, not only was she pretty good company but had a good bit of strength in her too. However today she seemed a bit out of it, like she had something worrying on her mind and Mike had a good idea who/ what it was that was making his dear friend act so strangely.

After the whole fiasco with Katie those few weeks ago he had to admit things had been kind of hard at first but it had nothing to do with him and eventually managed to get a bit of normality back into their lives after a few jokes here and there and a few trips to the gym. He remembered how when Naomi quickly departed he took the sobbing Katie into his flat, sat her down and waited patiently for her to spill. Eventually she came round telling him how Naomi was Emily's ex-girlfriend, the one who went to prison and fucked her little sister up she had told him about when they first starting getting serious. To be fair he really couldn't put any input into the whole situation as he'd only ever met Emily a handful of times and each time she never really said much, so before meeting Naomi he had to just take Katie's word for everything. Now though, Naomi was his friend and he wasn't going to do anything stupid based on his girlfriend's word to screw it up. What did strike him as slightly odd was the fact that Katie rarely did talk about her sister and reason for her to go off the rails a bit, in all the two and a half years he had known Katie she had only ever mentioned that Emily had gone a bit mental and it was because of some past relationship. And even now when he knew more of the situation Katie still refused to tell him anymore than he needed to know which was quite out of character considering she'll whine for forty five minutes about something as mundane as a shop that didn't stock her size in a certain type of shoe. He didn't quite understand it but he was sure that if she desperately wanted to talk to him about it she would.

"Erm, who?" Naomi asked, still slightly dazed from her previous day dreaming.

"Dom, he's a good mate of mine, has that flying V I showed you. Just got the new Assassin's Creed game and I can't be arsed buying it myself so a load of people are going round to his to take advantage," Naomi sighed, it was a nice offer and the few times she had met Mike's friend they were pretty alright bunch of people but at the minute she just wanted to go home, have a shower, get out her sweaty gym clothes and curl up in bed till she had to be back in work on Saturday.

"Listen, I know you're going to refuse but you can't cause I already said you agreed to come so you don't really have a choice. Plus you need to work on your technique if how you shit are on the play station at the shop is anything to go by," Naomi rolled her eyes but had a slight curve as she thought back to many times when they weren't busy and would sneak into the back to play on whatever games Mike had to hand. It bought a smile to her lips as it made her realise even more so the lengths Mike was going to not only be her friend but also to help her get back to being a normal citizen in society.

"Alright, alright I'll come,"

"Ha ha too fucking right you will," He grinned, "Now come on Campbellator, let's see if you can beat my shoulder press record," Naomi pushed him aside with confidence as she knew she'd beat him, she always did.

Naomi had another twenty minutes or so before she needed to leave to meet Mike at his place then going to Dom's from there. She was just pottering about the kitchen doing menial things just to keep her busy; she could hear the TV in the living room blasting away and as Lucy was out for the night with colleagues, which only meant that Cook would be in front of it most likely snoring his head off. After five minutes or so should hear movements followed by the toilet flushing and within another couple of minutes Cook's drowsy body came into the kitchen grabbing a beer from the fridge.

"You want one," He mumbled as he opened the bottle with his teeth, something that always made Naomi cringe. She shook his head and Cook shrugged his shoulders before leaning up against the counter taking a generous sip.

"Should you really be drinking that, don't you have work in a couple of hours?" She asked, anything to break the awkward silence that loomed over the two

.

"Nah, got night off, was thinking maybe we could go out, get a few in us. That new club has opened just down from Keith's, probably filled with a load of Round View's lot, but worth a look, huh?" Naomi thought it was odd that Cook had made such an offer, considering he'd been pretty much avoiding her since their little talk in that beer garden. Maybe this was Cook's idea of an apology and Naomi did feel kind of bad as she would have to decline, but then thought it was probably best, going on a drunken night out with Cook when so much was still up the air could only end badly.

"Sorry, hanging around with Mike and his friends tonight," She couldn't help but notice the slight disappointment in Cook's eyes, however being Cook he quick picked himself back up, putting back the bravado which he had let fall for those short few seconds.

"Nah its cool man, thinking I might meet some of the lads at Keith's anyway so…" Then it went quiet again, the tension almost suffocating but both of them were too afraid of what could happen if they tried to break free so they continued to wallow in the silence.

"Right well, erm…..enjoy your night." Cook shot before disappearing back in front of the TV, not even staying round for any reply from Naomi, not that she had one worth listening to. Naomi grabbed her leather jacket from the banister before quickly descending the stairs and out the front door. She didn't think it matter if she was early at Mike's, what she couldn't stand was being in that place that was her home for any longer than was necessary.

When she arrived at Mike's, she was as she expected ten minutes early but when she rang the door bell and Mike opened it with a huge grin on her face she knew that it didn't bother him one bit. She led her up the stairs which led into a spacious kitchen come living room.

"Just make yourself home dude, just need to grab some things," He called as he disappeared off into another room.

Naomi hadn't been Mike's flat before, despite how long she had known him but she figured the reason for that was because Katie had occupied the place and Naomi didn't even want to think the conclusion of such a meeting again. It was plain to see that Katie had well and truly made herself home, with various feminine touches being made to an otherwise rather neutral place. She got up and looked at the mantle piece with various picture displayed along it. Some were off Mike and other people, there were people she recognised as friends others she didn't know, but the majority of the pictures were of Mike and Katie each picture showing a common theme of loved filled eyes and cheesy smiles. She smiled as she saw for herself how much of a sap Mike was. She moved over to a side table that was placed next to the smaller of the two sofas, on it a simple desk light and some that fuck annoying dried smelly stuff that you put in bowls, she always hated the stuff especially when Emily thought it be a good idea to put some in her room which became 'their' room over time.

However also on the desk was a sliver photo frame, Naomi picked it up and smiled as she saw Katie and Mike squashed between a smiling Rob and Jenna Fitch, their smiles surprisingly genuine, a spotty James getting his scraggy blonde hair ruffled by Mike. Naomi felt herself sigh when she saw her, that red hair that was a bit darker than she remembered but still looked dazzleing, snow flake skin, button nose and velvet chocolate eyes staring back, looking very much at home with her sisters arm around her and the rest of her family look ridiculously happy and care free. Something that Naomi never saw once the entire time she was part of their lives, it didn't take a genius to see what the main cause behind their past misery was. When Naomi heard Mike's foot steps coming back into the room she hastily placed the photograph and launched herself back on the sofa, trying incredibly hard to look like she'd been sat in that exact spot the entire time. However she couldn't seem to get anywhere comfortable, she pulled out a fluffy purple cushion that was trapped beneath her and looked at the girly design with a questioning look.

"Fucking Katie," Naomi looked up to see Mike giving the cushion a disapproving gaze, "bloody hate the things, but she says its necessary, I've just decided to go along with it as it's the only way to shut her up." Naomi chuckled throwing the item back onto the sofa and walking toward the door with Mike in tow, almost falling on his arse as he tried putting one converse on while make the short journey to the exit.

After a quick trip to the off license to get a couple crates of fosters and a bottle of jagermeister that Mike insisted they purchased, followed by a rushed ten minute walk they found themselves outside a rather up market terrace house.

"Jeez Mike, what does this guy do?" Naomi asked in astonishment as she walked up the small pathway, the buildings grand architecture looming over them.

"He's a chef at that posh place up by Katie's office, only been once and that was with Katie and her office chums, proper up your arse affair it was. But don't worry this guy is cool, makes great pizza and nachos too." Mike assured before pressing the buzzer.

With in seconds the navy door opened revealing a skinny guy wearing a pair of retro, thick framed glasses with a course red beard and hair to match.

"Alright Mike?" He nodded toward Mike stepping aside to let the two of them in.

"And you must be Naomi?" The guy said with a warming smile, "Nice to meet you, I'm Dom," He finished extending his hand giving hers a firm shake.

"You guys are gonna love this, just got a new TV too so we're set for the night."

"Aw, sweet dude," Mike replied in an over Americanised tune as they were led along the terracotta hallway and into a snug front from, in the centre a vintage coffee table with various snacks and drink laid out on it.

"Where's everyone else," Mike asked as he helped himself to a handful of Doritos.

"They're all coming together, stopping off to get some booze before coming over I think," Dom replied as he took the crates of beer from both of them and taking them through a stone archway into what Naomi presumed was a kitchen judging by the sweet aromas that came swirling out of it.

Both Mike and Naomi followed him, being greeted by an impressive yet balanced layout of stainless steel appliances and oak counter tops. Behind a solid wood centre island a woman popped up, still facing away from them as she bought something out of the oven.

"For fuck sake Dom, don't leave me alone in this bloody kitchen, remember what happened last ti-" She cut herself short when she turned round and saw they had company.

"Alright there Hannah, see you've still got the same old way with words," Mike greeted moving toward her, his arms opened engulfing her in a hug. She smiled as she reciprocated before pulling away and poking her tongue out at him revealing a dark tongue piercing.

"Fuck off," All them began laughing until she turned to Naomi, obviously waiting for somebody to introduce.

"Oh shit sorry, Hannah this is Naomi, Naomi Hannah,"

"Ah yeah, so your Mike's awesome new employee he's been telling us so much about, hopefully this guy isn't too much of a bastard of a boss," She chuckled as did Naomi who replied with,

"Doesn't matter if he's my boss or not, he's still a daft twat," They all laughed as Mike did a crap job at pretending to be offended.

"What's this, get at Mike day?"

"Ah, shut ya silly idiot. No Katie?" Hannah finished before digging out a pizza cutter so she could cut up the delight she'd just bought out the oven.

"Nah, the idea of playing games all night and listening to metal music isn't exactly her scene, but she's gone to pick up some friend from the train station and going out with them or something, so it's just me and Kurt Cobain over here," He nodded over at Naomi and her Nirvana tee shirt she was wearing.

"Ah I see, well everybody grab a drink and lets get started before the other fuckers come over and hog the TV and eat all the food," She motioned toward the living room.

Naomi wasn't sure how long she'd been the here but she didn't really care as she was having too much of a good time to be worrying about the clock. As she sat squashed between a guy called Rich and another called Alo, watching Alo make an absolute embarrassment out of himself as he was just generally shit at the game.

"Alo you're fucking useless, you know that?" Rich moaned as Alo died, yet again.

"Just because you've got a bloody degree from Cambridge, doesn't mean you can talk down to us commoners,"

"I haven't even mentioned that once tonight, and I'm not talking down to everyone, I'm talking down to you,"

"Fine, you do it if you're so bloody good," Alo huffed before throwing the controller and reaching over to grab a slice of pizza that just seemed to constantly multiply.

Naomi laughed at the two before getting up quickly asking them if they wanted a drink,

"Yeah, cheers Naomi," The two said in unison without taking their eyes off the TV screen.

Naomi wandered through the collection of people, all pretty much just chilling out and conversing as various collection of rock oldies were being played from the hi-fi system. Looking back on everyone enjoying each others company made her realised how much she actually missed Cook and his crazy banter, despite being an uncontrollable prick half of the time he still was good just to sit down and talked to over a few beers. She sighed as she entered the kitchen and opened yet another box of beer and grabbed three then started to search the counter tops for a bottle opener.

"Hi," Naomi looked up to see Hannah had just walked in.

"Hey," Naomi smiled back before turning back to her search.

"What you looking for," She asked, coming round the centre island toward her.

"Bottle opener," mumbled Naomi as she moved various empty bottles and boxes.

"Silly fuckers, every time this happens, you would've thought something as precious as a bottle opener they'd look after." She joked as she herself started to move stuff about as well.

"Ah, found it!" Naomi exclaimed when she moved a black beanie out of the way, "thanks anyway," Naomi said as she opened the bottles.

"No problem, listen Naomi," Naomi paused turning round to look at her, slightly confused at the woman who looked like she really wanted to talk to her about something,

"This is gonna sound kinda weird but…you look familiar and it's been bugging me all night, we haven't met before have we?" She asked and Naomi was slightly taken back as she was pretty much one hundred percent sure she'd never seen this woman before, but she racked her memory anyway,

"Erm….I don't think so, sorry." She chuckled.

"Oh, cause I swear I've seen you before. Ah forget, anyway how's everything with Mike and the shop,"

"Yeah its pretty good, just nice to have some money if I'm gonna be honest,"

"Yeah, don't I bloody know it. I own a vintage shop and remembered when I first started out it was like pulling out your own finger nails. So, I'm guessing that you've met Mikes girlfriend if you're at the shop, bloody crazy about her he is, kind of cute really." Naomi chuckled and nodded, not really wanting to go into detail about how she actually knew Katie.

"Actually I was the reason that Mike met Katie. Yeah, the magazine Katie works for was doing a stint on vintage clothing and got into contact with me, surprisingly me and her clicked and one day Katie was organising a shoot to be done at mine and Mike just so happened to be there. I tell ya it was funny, she dismissed him straight away as he really wasn't her type, everyone could see that from a mile off, but Mike didn't give up and eventually Katie agreed to go on a date with him if he agreed to leave her alone afterward, and the rest as they say is history." Naomi smiled as she thought about it and she had to be honest it was kind of cute, in a overly sickly sweet kind of way.

"Hold on, that's it!" Naomi stood back slightly as Hannah looked as excited as a kid at Christmas,

"You don't by any chance know Katie's sister?" Naomi's eyes widened, looking like a dear in the flood lights. Oh shit she thought, what possibly could the Fitch duo have said about her to them lot. Naomi decided that it was safe to say she'd never be allowed back in that house again.

"Yeah Emily, there's a picture of you in her house," Hold on, what? Naomi thought, did she really just say that.?

"You used to have blonde hair," Naomi nodded not quite sure if this whole situation had made her go barmy and she was so desperate to sort everything out with Emily that she's now started to incorporate her into general conversation.

"Yeah that's it, it's on her hallway table, I see it every time I walk in." Naomi was starting to freak out as she was pretty sure now that Hannah wasn't just mind fucking her.

"So how do you know her?" Naomi didn't quite believe that this woman could be friends with Emily and not know even the tiniest hint about her.

"Erm…..just from collage…..you know years ago," She stuttered slightly afraid but at the same time intrigued what Hannah was going to say next.

"Oh right! Yeah, she used to have an orange scooter, you two are on it in the picture," Naomi was sure that she must have looked like a fish as her mouth was open with astonishment as she couldn't quite believe that Emily would have a picture of them together, even now.

"So I'm guessing you guys haven't seen much of each other," Hannah asked, bringing Naomi back to reality, or what she thought was reality after she had been told such information.

"No, not really,"

"Ah well, you should come see her some time. Me and Katie are always going over to London to see her," Emily lived in London? Naomi could fell her heart slam against her ribcage and goose bumps erupt over her at the thought of knowing where Emily was. However she quickly stopped herself from thinking such things, Emily was happy now, had moved on and that picture was just a reminder of happy days and not of what was to come. Emily had a life and Naomi had hers, they were separate and not meant to collide.

A loud crescendo of voices came from the front room, signalling that someone had either had a great success or an epic fail, the latter being confirmed when Naomi heard a,

"Alo stop trying, you're fucking useless at this game," Naomi watched as Hannah sniggered at them all and proceeded to walk into the front room, leaving Naomi alone with her currently rapid thoughts. However her thoughts were soon broken by two voices calling her,

"NAOMI, WHERE THE FUCK ARE THOSE BEERS?" Naomi rolled her eyes grabbed the beers off the counter top.

Naomi quickly checked her phone as she and Mike stumbled out of the house, Mike throwing both Dom and Hannah a lazy wave with one arm, his other wrapped around Naomi's shoulder as she steadied his muscular form.

"Good night, crazy right?" He slurred.

"Yeah, crazy," Naomi agreed but for completely different reason as she dwelled on Hannah's words.

Eventually they Naomi managed to navigate Mike's body to the alleyway that led to Mike's Bikes and ultimately his home, however by then he was passed out snoring loudly in her ear as she dragged him down the street.

Naomi knocked on the door and gave a shy smile when a tired looking Katie answered the door in her fluffy pink dressing gown.

"I er…think this is yours," Naomi said as she managed to pass Mike over to an annoyed Katie, who was surprisingly able to keep him steady, something told Naomi that she had plenty of practice in this situation. When Katie didn't reply, not that she was expecting anything; Naomi thought it would be best for her to make her exit.

"Right well, I'll be off now, bye." She waved before spinning on her heel.

"It's a bit late, its probably best if you say, fuck knows how you got this home in the first place," Katie motioned to Mike's drunken form. Naomi could tell that this wasn't really an offer she wanted to make and that Katie's morals seemed to have stepped forward and forced to do the right thing. Naomi smiled at the gesture,

"No you're okay, the walk will do me good, thanks anyway." She finished turning around not expecting anything but stopped when she heard Katie speak,

"Thanks Naomi," and the door then closed. Naomi paused and took in a lungful of air and smiled before continuing on her way, all the while completely unaware of another pair of chocolate eyes that were watching her from the spare bedroom window.


	8. Chapter 8

These were the kind of mornings that Naomi thought were absolute bliss, waking up on her own accord and not an alarm clock in sight. She stretched her arms as she sat up in bed, the morning sunlight trickleing through the window and covered the room in a refreshing glow. After a few minutes of absent minding stareing out the window she decided to get up. As she decscened the from the top floor to the second then on to the kitchen she fully stetched out her sleepy muscles and wiped the small traces of sleep from her eyes and proceeded to pop the kettle on. She lent against the counter and examined her nails as she waited for the kettle to boil. As far back as she could remember she had always been a fidgeter, could never keep still and always had to have something to occupy her mind. After what felt like an eternity the kettle had still not boiled, not even any steam was evident. It was so true that a watch kettle never boils, Naomi thought as she turned her attention to one of the two kitchen windows and continued to have a little nose out.

However her attention was brought away from the window when she heard what seemed to be the fait sounds of a heated exchange of words in the room above her, Cook and Lucy's room to be precise.

"No, get your hands off me James!" She heard Lucy spit as their voices got more clear indicating they were getting closer. Naomi quickly looked around for something to occupy her attention to make it look less obvious that she had been listening in on their domestic, even if it wasn't that hard considering how loud they were being.

"Lucy please, just hold on a minute." Cook pleaded. Naomi turned to see the couple stood infront of the kitchen entrance, so absorbed in their argument that they didn't seem to notice, or they simply had gotten so used to Naomi being around it didn't matter that she was an spectator of their feud.

"No James, I don't even want to see you right now. Now let go of me!," She hissed and pulled away from the hand he had placed on her shoulder and preceeded heft the over filled, gym bag she had and decended the second set of stairs that lead to ground floor and incidently the exit.

"No Lucy, just let me explain!" He shouted after her but the only reply he got was the secured slam of the front door.

Naomi watched the back of her friend's body, she didn't even have to look at his face to know he was deeply upset, his broad shoulder sagged and his head held low looking a shadow of the boterious, jack lad that was he trade mark.

"Cuppa?" Naomi asked noticed that the kettle had boiled as the two quarrled in the doorway. Cook turned and after a second of looking longinly into the distance, resembleing a lost child then gazed into her eyes and gave a feble nod, his own pair of sea orbs looking as defeated as they had the day she had been sentanced. Naomi flashed him a sympathetic smile which he tried to reciprocate but fail and opened the kitchen window and climbed out onto the makeshift balcony and sat in one of the two pastic sun beds, his head in his hands.

Naomi switched the kettle on and did some light cleaning of the kitchen as she waited for the sastifying click of the kettle switch, anything to keep her attention focussed on anything but her friends crushed demeanor. As she knew that if she faced him she wouldn't be able to keep back her questions and it was pretty obvious that Cook was in no fit state to talk.

Once the kettle was boiled she poured the scolding water into two cups, makeing sure to only fill Cook's halfway and lightly dip the tea bag in the water and filling to rest with a hideous amount of milk and finally adding two heap spoonfuls of sugar in. Naomi always said that Cook's tea was just tinged, milk and a complete waste of a teabag, she always remembered argueing about it, back when things were so much more simple.

_"How the hell can you drink this shit, Cook?" Naomi grimaced as she passed over the cup, that was pretty much lukewarm, to her pal._

_"What you on about? Its fucking awesome, I should be asking what's that crap in your cup, like bloody tar." He countered as Naomi got herself comfortable in the armchair that she always sat in._

_"What, and your sickly sweet, tinged, milk is any better?" She raised an challengeing eyebrow at Cook's sprawled out form her sofa, well her mother's sofa._

_"Nah man, this is how tea's meant to be." He finished takeing a huge glup and let out a satisfied sigh onced he'd swallow it. _

_"You know its true," He stared and Naomi looked at him signalling him continue, "you know, when they say tea makes everything better. I mean you see it in them shitty detective shows, they're always making tea when someones dies or summat like that." _

_"Well, I wouldn't exactly go that far. I mean if someone I cared about died I wouldn't exactly be clog danceing after having a single cup of tea." _

_"Aha, fuck off Blondie you know what I meant." He sniggered taking another mouthful._

_"Well atleast now I know what to give you if you're ever being depressing, pussy." She smiled._

_"Cheers to that." He said raising his mug as did she._

"Here you go." She said offering him the rapidly cooling tea.

"Cheers." He mumbled still looking out to the industrial skyline. Naomi couldn't think of anything to say so she just sat on the other free sunbed and continued to watch with him, the cheap plastic cold against her skin. He'd tell her in time, she may not have been as close to her friend recently but she still knew him well enough to know that he would eventually confide in her.

That evening, after she had made them both some tomato-y past dish that she made off the top of head, not that it was that hard considering she was quite limited what she could make due to the near empty fridge. They both sat in the small living room watching whatever degrading crap that was Saturday night telly. They were announcing who had made it through to the next week of equally brain dead episode of the X factor when Cook decided to pipe up. Naomi thought maybe it had something to do with the program they were watching since they were forced to watch it every Saturday as Lucy was obsessed with it.

"I really don't want to loose her." He sighed as he played with the curled edges of the label on his bottle of Carlsberg. Naomi slightly turned her stretched out body to the other sofa where Cook slouched.

"Then why did you let her go?" Naomi asked putting her beer bottle in the tiny, cheap, Ikea coffee table and moved to a sitting position slightly lent forward so she look more closely at Cook's currently long face.

He let out a large lungful of hair before he began. "It was so fucking stupid."

"I'm listening."

"Well, you know last night you were are whatever his name is-"

"Mike." She corrected

"Yeah...and well I was bored so I went out."

"What, by yourself?" She enquired.

He let his gaze fall from hers and hung his head lower, after a long pause he said, "No."

"Then with who?" He didn't reply so Naomi tried again, this time with more force to her tone almost sounding like the old, politically driven Naomi, "With who Cook?"

"Nah, its not important." He tried to shrug off but Naomi knew him far too well to let this go.

"Cook." She warned sounding like a mother, their old parent- child roles going back to how they were them many years ago. However, he didn't say anything although little did he know his silence spoke volumes to her.

"Effy." She stated as she knew there was no questioning about it, that girl just always seemed to be there. He nodded and held his head even lower. Naomi had a pretty good idea where this was going but she was going to let him explain.

"And?" She said trying to add the fire back to the conversation, give Cook atleast a little bit of a platform to start from.

"Look I just rang her, I was bored, lonely and after that phone call on that night out we had I thought I might aswell, you know for old time sakes," he paused, his brow furrowed. Naomi could see the cogs working in his brain, trying to decided whether whatever infomation he had was worth letting out to the open. He obviously thought it was not revelvant as he said, "she said she met with you." Naomi could see what he was doing and it wasn't going to work.

"Cook," She warned again, "tell me what happened." She knew he'd tried to bail, they were very alike in some respects and Naomi could see someone trying to make a run for it a mile off as it was such a familar thing for her to do too.

"We met at Keith's, talked for abit and then she pulled out this bag of stuff, and you know I thought why not? Just because I'm an adult doesn't mean I can't have fun, so I took it," Naomi metphorically felt herself slap her palm against her forehead in frustration but remained quiet, Cook was on a roll and she wasn't going to do anything stop the easily distracted young man, " then, it all became a bit of a blur. But the next thing I know we are in this club and she's giving these eyes, you know the look I'm talking about?" Naomi nodded as it was clear to see that Cook was just one of the many puppets in Effy's life.

"Look, I was fucked and I'm pretty sure you know where this is going so I'll cut the bullshit. She dragged me into the toilets and we...you know?" Naomi quickly acknowledge wanting to be spared the details.

"Well, you know she's quite...vocal, and after we'd finished she left the cubicle then I did... then there was Lucy." He stopped and let his ever desending head hang in his hands. Normally at this point Naomi would've given him some form of telling off but this was now and not their early days at roundview collage. Now Naomi had no right to tell him what was right and wrong because she was exactly the same, if not even worse. She ruined her relationship with a stupid decision to cheat, and not only that she sold the girl the express ticket that killed her, toying with her already fragile mind for her own selfish self, which preceeded to torture the minds of the ones she held the closest. She had to admit she had sort of come to terms with everything but those skeletons still hung in her closet and they weren't going to be moving anytime soon.

"I totally forgot that she was out that night...not like that's any form of an excuse, should never of done it...But its Effy, I mean...I don't know what I mean." He corrected himself. Naomi gave him a questioning look.

"You don't still love her, do you?" She asked.

"What? No!" he quickly dismissed, so quickly that his reply seemed hardly crediable. Naomi continued to look at him and Cook obviously got the message, "I don't know. I mean I love Lucy, she's everything I could ever want. She's careing, funny, doesn't fuck me about-"

"Everything Effy wasn't." Naomi reminded. After a gap of silence he relcutantly agreed with her, throwing her a heavy nod.

"But Effy's...Effy's, Effy. You know what I mean?" Naomi didn't say anything just continued to get absorbed in her sudden thoughts as she knew exactly how Cook felt. How somebody can treat you like such shit but you still look at them like they are the rarest of gold. Albeit, the woman she thought about had every right to treat her like the dirt beneath her shoe due to her carnal relations Naomi had with another woman then preceeding to sell her an Uncle Keith death blend which ultimatly lead her, in her delicate state, to kill herself. Which as a result left the beautiful, redhead she thought about, to pick up the peices of the tusnami destruction that Naomi had left behind.

Obviously Naomi had been occupied by her thoughts longer that she had planned as when she was drawn back to reality she saw Cook was just getting up to bed, mumbling about a cold bed and left Naomi in the glow of the television to think.

It had been a week since Cook had talked to Naomi and nothing much else had happened since then, apart from Lucy coming over once when only Naomi was there to collect a few things. She hadn't said much apart from the mundane small talk and as quickly as she had entered she exited.

Naomi was in the shop, it had been a quiet week so she was quite grateful that she'd had a couple of days off and was looking forward to tomorrow as it would be the first Sunday she'd had off in months. Her and Cook had planned to get away for the day, have a proper day out and be the two best friends that they were, he said he was going to borrow Keith's van and they would go somewhere. Apparently, Cook had somewhere in mind, as he put it 'top pub grub with real ale and interesting patrons that don't fuck about', and most importantly was well outside Bristol.

As it was so quiet Naomi had time to tend to her own bike which was her pride and joy at the moment. It looked nothing like the ratty, tatty thing she had managed to resurrect from her mother's garage those many months ago. It sparkled, gleamed and rode like a dream, everything ran so smoothly that it was giving the brand new bikes at the shop a run for there money.

As Naomi was tightening a wheel nut she heard the shop door bell go off signalling she had a customer. Naomi quickly grabbed a rag off the work bench and tried to wipe the oil off her hands as best she could, however her hast was quickly lessened when she heard the lispy tone of Katie. It was kind of weird but ever since that night that she had dragged Mike's drunken form back to their's, Katie and her seem to have come some sort of silent, civil agreement. Since then Katie would come in the shop to see Mike and actually acknowledge her, even engage in some obviously forced small talk. Naomi felt slightly touched at the lengths Katie was going to make things resemble some sort of normality. Maybe it was something Mike said, or maybe Katie somehow had picked up on how apolgectically Naomi was for eveything, not that all the 'sorry's' in the world could undo any damage Naomi had already done.

"Naomi, another package was delivered to the flat and its not River Island or ASOS so it must be for the shop." Katie said dropping the medium size box with a heavy thud on the front desk countertop.

"Thanks Katie." Naomi smiled as she came into the front of the shop. Katie shrugged as if it didn't bother her that Naomi was actually grateful for something she had done out of her own kindness, but it was evident she was please with the slight curve that nipped at the corner of her lips.

"I heard about Cook and Lucy." Naomi lifted her head a break neck speed as she was sure that she hadn't brought that up since Cook had told her, never mind with anyone else. Katie could obviously see the alarm in Naomi's face and let out an irrtated sigh.

"Calm down, her accountancy office is in the same block as my office. My friend Mini, Lucy's her boss. She told me that she's being a right bitch since this whole break up thing. Not that its that hard. As much as I don't like Cook, no offence, but she's a right moody cow. Come on, is a smile in the hallway that much to ask? Stuck up bitch." Naomi chuckled slightly as she read over the delivery invoice that came with the package Katie had just brought in.

"I mean-." However Katie's words were cut short when the customer bell went followed by,

"Kaite hurry up we're gonna be late for-" The woman stopped and so did Naomi. Naomi's attention was still on the delivery noticed but her whole body had frozen, her mind playing over and over the husky tone that had just filled her ears, a voice she could pick out of a heavy metal concert if she had to, a voice she hadn't heard in so long but at the same time seemed so familar. Naomi raised her head and there she was, silky waves of falu red hair, chocolate eyes that sucked everything within a one kilometer radius in, and left anyone that looked into them so helpless but so warm at the same time. There was the one person that was forever etched into her memory, there was the 'other' Fitch twin as she was known to some, there was the 'quiet' one as she was known to others. But to her she was Emily Fitch, the one she could never forget.


	9. Chapter 9

Paste your doc

She didn't know how to feel, standing at the edge of the darkening abyss, the curling iced wind that rattled around her, smacking against her skin turning it from a pale white to an angered pink. She didn't what to do or how to feel as one wrong step could surely see the end of her, it wasn't exactly surprising that she felt this way as she always did whenever she was subjected to Emily, especially in the final few months; but now she found it odd that she was very much welcoming of the idea.

She never faltered her gaze; the shocking red contrasting upon the creamy skin with the warming hint of oval chocolate was subjecting Naomi to a dreamlike state. She could feel the alarm from Katie to her left but it did not affect the years' worth of emotion that was filtered through the brake oil air, a mere few meters. And now, within a tiny, crammed bike shop in Bristol where two halves became and contorted whole, two long lost rivals who didn't know whether to love each other or kill each other. Naomi's questions were answered when a placid hand was outstretched to her.

"Nice to see you again, Naomi." She croaked with that just woken up tone that drove Naomi wild, the many mornings Naomi would rise with that voice, wrapped in naked flesh and a seductive smirk. Naomi could feel the feeble sparks become flames within the pit of her stomach. Who was she kidding? She was no timid shop worker- she was a raging bull, a roaring lion. Her fire simply awaiting its ignition and now that it was here- she felt so alive.

She took the hand and the feel felt so good she wanted to purr. She raised an eyebrow and grasped her bottom lip between her powerful teeth, the hunted finally becoming the hunter again.

"Yeah, the same to you too." Katie looked between the two with obvious confusion- if only she knew the complex equations of chemicals that lingered in the air right now, maybe then she'd realise- but Naomi new she never would. The standoff must of lasted a pathetic few seconds but the ice overcame the amber and the rustic red turned away. Naomi was sure that she'd given up too easily, it wasn't how she remembered, but maybe Emily was testing the water, realising the heat still remained and turned away with knowledge that the animal had never left Naomi, it was simply sleeping.

Katie forced a cough and Naomi knew now she would have to let go and come back to reality.

"Ems, we should probably go, the table was booked for half past." The back of Emily's head faced Naomi with a torment, tempting her like a dog on a leash but she couldn't, because it came clear to Naomi what this was all about. This was a game and Naomi was more the kind to play against than play along, and she knew that Emily would, secretly, be so disappointed if she were to do the latter, and not being one to disappoint…..

"Alright, let's go," Emily turned to Naomi, the hair shimmering in the light like a kaleidoscope of red, "See you around Naomi, nice seeing you." Those chestnut eyes holding hers longer than what was probably deemed appropriate, although she could tell that Emily now had the knowledge of Naomi's rise to the bait.

"You too." She called purposefully just as they were leaving. She didn't want to be too eager, after all this was a game, and Naomi was a sore loser.

At the end of her shift, as she was cycling home, her head an endorphin enriched breeding ground since the day's earlier events. Naomi finally had time to think as weaved she in and out of buses and rush hour traffic she finally had time to reflect and make sense of what had just happened, she felt like a pacing lion being cooped in that shop to feel the wind in her face was much a relief. She started asking question which was impossible to shine through her burning desire that had over taken her before. Things like; why was Emily here? Although that was quickly answered with a simple case of sibling love and Naomi imagined that even if they were the other side of the world to each other the Fitch twins would always find any means possibly to see each other again. But still that didn't convince her, Emily today didn't look anywhere near surprised as Naomi was to see her. However, Naomi couldn't but let her lips curve into a dopey smile at the thought of just seeing Emily again, but quickly extinguished herself as she was reminded back when she was in prison and she received not even a note to tell her that the girl was okay, leaving Naomi to spend the worst first few months of her sentence in constant worry of the woman. It wasn't until Cook finally came and informed her that she was alright that she finally let go of the worry- although look how true that turned out to be.

Now, however, she felt the steam rise within her as she was sick and tired of constantly worrying about what everyone else thought, she'd spent the past six year doing it. She'd done her time and now was free, she was still young and her entire life was out ahead of her. She didn't need some little red head ruling her, like she said she was a lion, a powerful and proud creature and she was adamant that now this was for her. She wasn't going to mould herself to the world, the world was hers to mould. She was done with belittling herself to others, she could go off, get a degree, get a good job just like the rest.

So, the first she did when she got into the house was not walk into the kitchen and make Cook a cup of tea and bring it to his depressed form that would be sprawled along the couch watching drab daytime TV. She walked pass the kitchen and straight to the living room where she sat down with Cook's laptop on her knee, ignoring Cook's questioning look from the other sofa. She was well aware that Cook no doubt noticed the difference in his best friend, the fire was back in her eyes, the force in her stride and the brain between her ear would no doubt be following suit.

Cook smiled for the first time in weeks and automatically he could feel the brightness in the room, the lightness on his shoulders and the warmth in his heart.

"Alright Blondie? You're looking chirpy."

"And you look like shit." Cook threw his head back and cackled like a hyena. This was what imagined when Naomi was released from prison; this was what he wanted, just like the old days. He wasn't sure what had brought this on but it was a serious blessing from whoever was looking down above- he liked to think it was Fredster throwing him a bone in his time of need.

"Oh man," he sighed as he composed himself from the laughter, "So, what ya doing?".

"Looking and uni's for next year." Cook's posture extended like a Meer cat spotting danger.

"What, like proper uni?" He said with slight alarm.

"No, the chocolate one, of course proper uni you bell end." Cook would've laughed at the sassy reply that he had long missed from his friend, but the prospect of her leaving when he'd only just got her back sent fear right through him. She'd go and he'd be alone and he didn't want to be alone, not now not ever.

He tried to sound not too phased but the eagerness shone through like sun lighting ripping through darkened clouds.

"Like, where ya thinking?"

"Don't know yet, I'd have to look around, but it would be pretty convenient if I could stay here. I think I'd really be struggling to pay rent anywhere else." Cook visibly and mentally let out a massive sigh of relief, he knew it was selfish but he didn't want to lose the only thing that really meant anything now.

"Cool man, getting all educational and shit. I'll pop the kettle on." He offered as he got up giving her a quick reassuring pat on her knee. Naomi never took her eyes away from the screen, although when he left the room her eyes followed him and she smiled. Cook was back.

Cook decided he was going to cook that evening and because he was about as useful as a chocolate fire guard in the kitchen it was long till their miniscule living room was littered with Chinese takeaway wrappings and many bottles of Tiger beer. The two best friends sat on the floor, their backs resting against each sofa, talking shit as if they were eighteen again.

"Cook, you've got to learn to start deleting your history." Naomi commented as she continued to scan through pages, her patience now running thin due to the many beers in her system, so it wasn't long before she was on Cook's Facebook frapeing the life out of his page.

"Fuck off, I'm only human, it's been hard this past week, Cookie's had to be creative." Naomi grimaced but slightly smirked as she wrote a status that went something along the lines of Cook shoving numerous toilet brushes up his arse.

"So, from that I'm guessing you've not seen Effy then?" Naomi didn't really think much of the question as her mind was more involved in ruining Cook's cyber space reputation, but when he didn't answer she looked up to see him looking vacant and that's when she realised.

"Oh, shit sorry."

"Nah, don't worry. It's just…I've realised now that, these past few hours since you got in is the first time I haven't thought of any of that in six years. It's been nice, y'know." Naomi nodded and felt a pang to her heart as she thought of Cook's dreary days he must've be subjected to when she was locked up.

"I know." She offered as she really could think of anything else that would amount anything supportive.

"But anyway, enough of that; come on Blondie, spill. What lucky ladies have you had screaming in your bed recently?" He smirked like a perverted fifteen year old boy.

"I fucking wish." She found herself saying from her beer lips. Cook just cackled and turned back to the TV screen which was showing some late night shit that Naomi swore made her lose brain cells, but Cook seemed to get a kick out of it so she wasn't complain, just as long as it distracted him enough to stop asking about her sex life. But she had to admit tonight had been fun, just sitting and talking like there was not a care in the world made her see that every choice she'd made since being free was ultimately the right one.

ument here...


End file.
